The Blood of Love
by Kiheada.Ray.T
Summary: A mafia fanfic where Kira and the boys are in one gang while Cagalli and the girls are in another. Read as they fight for their lives, and also fall in love. Normal pairings...maybe. please R&R, full summary inside.
1. Chapter 1: Bargain and Lust

**The Blood of Love**

**Chapter 1: Operations: Bargain and Lust**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed Destiny or any of its characters. I do own this fic and the plot, so please no stealing.**

_Hey! It's me again! As I promised, here's a new fic about the GSD peeps in two gangs. Here's the down-low: Kira's dad used to be the Godfather of his gang Bloodlust, but now Kira took over with Athrun, Yzak, Dearka, Nicol, Shinn, and Rey. Cagalli's mom used to be the Godfather (or Godmother) of her gang Pokitknives (and yes these names are mine and are not to be stolen), but now Cagalli took over with Lacus, Milly, Fllay, Luna, Meyrin, and Stellar. Get the picture?? The two are still siblings, yet they are bound by their gangs so enemies. Kira isn't the sweet, innocent Kira we all know and love, and Cagalli is also a little cold-hearted. Lacus and Nicol are the "nurses" of the gangs, they don't really fight, and they only take care of their gang members. Meyrin is a lot tougher than in the series. I'll let you figure out the rest._

* * *

"Retreat! They're breaking out the Bazooka!" Cagalli yelled to her gang members. The girls ran back towards their leader, firing extra shots on the way.

"What's the matter Cags, scared of a little bazooka!?" Kira called after her. Cagalli shot him a glare before she got in her car and drove away, the girls following.

"Yes! We won!" Dearka exclaimed and jumped up and down. The other boys glared at him so he stopped. "Good job boys." Kira said and they hopped on their motorcycles and went back to their base.

* * *

"I can't believe he did that!" Cagalli yelled angrily, slamming her fists on her desk. "He did it to scare us off, he's a coward." Meyrin said. "But he's hot!" Fllay said. Cagalli glared at her. "Well, he is." Fllay mumbled and went back to filing her nails.

"He's not a coward, he knew we wouldn't continue to fight if he pulled out the bazooka, they probably didn't have a lot of ammo left, so instead of retreating, he made us retreat." Cagalli said bitterly.

"Sly fox." Luna mumbled. "He's controlled by his pride, he'll mess up soon, and then we'll win and take them out for good!" Meyrin said.

"Stellar not like bazooka." Stellar mumbled, rocking herself back and forth. "You're ok, Stellar, they wouldn't have fired it at us, would they?" Lacus asked and looked at Cagalli.

"Not so soon after taking the Godfather title, he wants to toy with us, he won't purposely kill us, yet." She said with a cold look in her eyes.

"I can't believe Shinn joined him and actually fought me!" Luna exclaimed. "Stellar mad at Shinn." Stellar said looking angry.

Cagalli sighed, her brother was the Godfather of the enemy mafia in Heliopolis; the Ultimate Coordinator as well. She was only a natural and envied his power.

"At least no one got seriously injured, we're thankful for that." Lacus said. "He was still just toying with us, if we want to shake him we have to take over his territory." Cagalli said, surprising the other girls. "But we're trying to guard our own territory; we can't try to take over theirs!" Luna burst.

"I see your point, Cagalli, but how are we gonna do that exactly?" Meyrin asked. "Yeah, they'll probably take us prisoner if we try to take over their territory." Fllay said. "Stellar confused." Stellar said with a questioning look at her Godfather.

"I'm not sure how yet, but I'm open for ideas." Cagalli said. "Well, I'm pretty sure we can't take it by force." Lacus said. Cagalli considered her concern; Lacus was a very wise and respected member of the Pokitknives, and also Cagalli's best friend.

"What if we make a bargain?" Luna suggested. "What kind do you have in mind?" Cagalli asked, interested. "Well, hmmm, I don't know." Luna trailed off. "We don't have anything to bargain with except our territory. "Fllay said.

"Why don't we capture one of the Bloodlust members and use him for bargaining?" Meyrin asked.

"Good idea, but who and how?" Cagalli asked.

"Dearka, probably, and either me or Fllay can get him." Meyrin said, winking at Fllay who winked back. "Perfect, alright Pokitknives, here's the plan: Fllay will find Dearka and get him to come with her. Meyrin, you drive up and then you two will tie him up, tape his mouth, and blindfold him and drive him to the base." Cagalli ordered. Meyrin and Fllay nodded in agreement, as did the other girls.

"When you bring him to base he'll be held prisoner, we'll wait an hour or two for Kira to notice he's missing, and then go from there. Everyone understand?" Cagalli continued. The girls nodded, Milly had been quiet the whole time until she burst, "Dearka!? I'll get to see my Dearka!?"

The others looked away and left Cagalli's office, not wanting to get into that conversation. Milly and Dearka were going out before Cagalli and Kira became the Godfathers, and Dearka broke up with her when he decided to join Kira and Milly joined Cagalli. She was in denial, however, and always tried to go back out with him; the other girls (besides Lacus who was sympathetic) thought it was just pathetic and tried to tell her to move on.

"Milly, when we take Dearka prisoner you can't tell him anything, you can't even talk to him. You can't release him either, or you know the consequences." Cagalli said seriously. Everyone knew the consequences for betrayal, so they never talked about it.

Milly looked down at her feet and said, "Yes ma'am." sorrowfully. "Ok, go get a list of all his favorite hangouts, or if possible his daily schedule." Cagalli told her and with a nod Milly left.

Cagalli sighed _'I hope she gets over this soon, or else she'll screw up the whole thing.' _She thought.

* * *

"So what do we do now?" Shinn asked Kira. "Yeah boss, do we go for their territory yet?" Yzak asked sarcastically. "Not yet, we'll let them squirm for a bit." Kira said.

"What if they attack?" Athrun asked. "We'll fight like we did today." Kira answered. "Are we gonna bust out the bazooka again? That was hilarious! As soon as they saw it Cagalli ordered a retreat!" Dearka laughed.

"But we don't have ammo in it." Shinn said. "So why'd we bring it out? Just to scare them off? Are we that weak?" Yzak asked again.

Kira fixed him with a level glare, "No, we're not weak. Besides, we were almost out of ammo, and if we continued we'd hardly be able to fight back." He said through clenched teeth.

Yzak still thought it was a cowardice move but didn't say anything, because no one argues with the Godfather, especially not Kira, even Yzak understood that (Surprising I know).

Nicol and Rey remained quiet, observing the conversation.

"So we're just gonna toy with them?" Shinn asked. "Yep, and in the mean time steal their territory right from under their noses." Kira grinned and so did the other boys.

"So Operation: Lust is finally gonna be put in action?" Athrun asked. "Yep, you all know what to do, effective immediately." Kira said.

The boys dispersed from his office, Nicol leaving with a worried look on his face.

* * *

_The next day…_

"Here's the list Cagalli." Milly said, handing it to her. "Oh thanks, good job." Cagalli said, looking over the list and schedule. "Your welcome." Milly said and left.

Cagalli paged Fllay and Meyrin and they arrived at her door a few minutes later.

"What's up?" Meyrin asked her. "Here's a list of Dearka's favorite hangouts and his schedule, look over it. I suggest going near the end of the day." Cagalli told them. "Ok." Meyrin said as she and Fllay sat down, looking at the schedule.

Just then Luna knocked on the door. "Come in." Cagalli said and she walked inside. "I'm going to get more ammo." She announced. "Ok, be careful." Cagalli told her. "Of course, be back in 15 minutes." Luna said and left.

"Hey Cags, he comes by here on his way to the base. We can intercept him near O'Riellys." Fllay told her. "Good, what time exactly?" Cagalli asked. "5:30 and we've already worked out a plan." Meyrin said.

"Ok good, get ready and tell Lacus to keep Milly away from the base at the time. I don't want her to jeopardize this plan." Cagalli told them. "Yes ma'am." They said as they made the Pokitknives sign and left.

'_Perfect, this'll be too easy' _Cagalli thought and grinned.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Ok, so it's a bit short, but what do you think? Is it good; is it bad, does it need work? Any ideas? Remember to review and tell me what you think; updates will come fast today……praise the Lord for winter breaks! WOOT!-**


	2. Chapter 2: The Capture

**Chapter 2: The Capture**

**Disclaimer: I don't own GSD or any characters except the names of the gangs and the plot twists that I just love throwing in!**

* * *

Luna entered the Guns and Ammo store and smiled at Andy who was at the counter. "Why hello Miss Luna, come to restock?" he asked. "Yep, the usual please." She said.

It was then that she noticed Shinn Asuka looking at a Sniper Rifle. She went up to the counter, watching Shinn out of the corner of her eye. _'What's he doing here? Bloodlust gets their guns and ammo at Rau's Place on the other side of town.' _She thought.

He caught her eye and smiled at her, she quickly looked away as he made his way over to her.

"Hey." He said, leaning on the counter. She ignored him, not even glancing at him. He shook his head and said, "Look Luna, I know we were just fighting yesterday, but I really didn't mean to hurt you and I wanna make it up to you."

"Why should I even consider trusting you Shinn? Do I have to explain the whole gang thing to you?" she asked sarcastically.

He glared at her and was gonna yell at her but remembered what he was supposed to do. "No, Luna, you don't; and I'm not exactly asking you to trust me now am I?" he grinned.

She hesitated before saying, "Whatever you're thinking your answer is a no." and looked away from him. Andy looked from her to him and said, "Just one more and then you can pay, be right back." And Luna smiled at him and nodded.

"Oooooo, Luna has a crush." Shinn teased. She turned on him and snapped, "No I don't Shinn so just shut-up!" and turned back to the counter red-faced and angry.

Shinn sighed and swallowed his dignity before saying, "Look, I'm really sorry, just let me make it up to you." He pleaded with her. A man beside her rolled his eyes at Shinn and he gave him an icy death-glare.

Luna sighed, "If you're that desperate Shinn," she broke off, an idea coming on, "Why don't you pick me up near The Shack and you can take me to dinner or something." She said, turning to him.

He hesitated, The Shack (which is an abandoned house, duh) was close to the Pokitknives base and would be risky for both of them for him to pick her up there.

"Here you go Luna, have a great day." Andy said, handing her the ammo after she paid. She looked at Shinn again, "Well?" she asked. "Uh, sure, what time?" he asked, hoping he didn't just make a huge mistake.

"Around 5:00, see you then." She said and left before he could say anything.

"Can I help you?" Andy asked. "Uh yeah, that Sniper looked good." Shinn said, referring to the one he was looking at. "Can I see your gun license and I.D.?" Andy asked and Shinn handed them over. "Ok, here you go, $1500, includes ammo and a 5 year warranty." Andy said and Shinn paid.

* * *

"I'm back and I have some good news." Luna called as she knocked on her Godfather's door. "What is it?" Cagalli asked as she came in and sat down.

"I have another trade." Luna grinned.

"Oh really? I'm listening." Cagalli said, very interested in what the young girl's idea was.

"Well, I went into Guns and Ammo and who did I see? Shinn himself, he came up to me and practically begged me to give him another chance, so I told him he could pick me up around 5:00 tonight by The Shack." Luna said, still grinning. Cagalli knew what she was suggesting and also grinned.

"So when he comes to pick you up you and Stellar will jump him and drag him to base, good thinking Luna." She said.

"Thanks, this'll definitely sweeten the deal, Kira will have no choice but to give up his territory with two of his members captured!" Luna said. "Yep, now go get Stellar and tell her the plan, and when you get him inside tie him up and bring him to my office." Cagalli told her.

"Yes ma'am." Luna said happily. _'I'll get you Shinn, you'll regret the day you betrayed Lunamaria Hawke!' _she thought.

Cagalli sat at her desk and grinned to herself.

* * *

"So what've you got?" Kira asked Shinn when he got back. "I'm meeting Luna up at The Shack to take her to 'dinner'. And I got a Sniper Rifle." Shinn said and grinned boyishly as he held up the rifle.

Kira gave him a weird look and said in a warning tone, "The Shack? You're taking a pretty big risk, Asuka."

"I know, sir." Shinn said. "What if they jump you?" Kira asked him, fixing him with a level glare. Shinn looked out the window and didn't answer. Kira wasn't happy about Shinn's obviously impulsive behavior and Shinn knew it.

"Take your switchblade with you." Kira ordered. "Yes sir." Shinn said, not looking at his Godfather.

"If you get captured I won't get you Shinn, do you understand me?" Kira said coldly. "Yes Kira, I understand." Shinn snapped, glaring at his Leader.

"That's Mr. Kira to you." Kira said in a dark tone when he grabbed Shinn by the collar of his shirt. The latter looked surprised but still glared defiantly.

"Now get out!" Kira barked as he pushed Shinn away. The boy stormed out of the office and went to his room. It was 4:00. He took a shower and put on his sexiest outfit, then grabbed his switchblade. Operation Lust was under way.

* * *

**5:00 p.m.**

Shinn pulled up to The Shack and saw Luna standing there in a short skirt and tight shirt. He got out hesitantly and went over to her.

"So where to Mr. Asuka?" she asked, chewing gum. "How about Rockstar Bar?" he asked looking sly. Luna looked him over and tried not to blush. _'God he's so hot!' _she thought.

"Ok, "she smiled and took his arms in hers. Then Stellar jumped out and grabbed Shinn's other arm and the girls started to drag him into the base. "What the!?" Shinn shouted and struggled against them. Luna kicked him and Stellar gripped tightly on his right arm and they continued to drag him.

The got him inside and tied his arms behind his back. "You're pretty clever Luna, too bad I was gonna do the same to you." Shinn said coldly and glared at her.

Luna didn't say anything and her and Stellar brought him down the hall towards Cagalli's office.

"And Stellar too, I should've known." He said. "Stellar mad at Shinn! Bad Shinn! Bad!" Stellar said and kicked him again. Shinn bit his lip to stop from crying out. _'Great, I'm dead. Blast you Luna!' _he thought as they opened Cagalli's door and led him in.

"On his knees." Cagalli said and they pushed him to his knees. "Well, well, well, Shinn. Look what you've got yourself into now." She said. "What do you want with me Cagalli?" he asked, glaring at her with his blood-red eyes.

"You'll see Shinn Asuka. Stand him up and search him." Cagalli said and Luna stood him up. She slid her hands up his arms and over his shoulders, unto his chest. He watched her hands as they slid over his abs and found his switchblade in his jeans.

"Switchblade." Luna said and showed Cagalli. "Give it to me." Cags said and Luna handed it to her. "Continue." Cagalli said and Luna ran her hands down his legs, making sure to feel up his front as well, he looked at her from the corner of his eye as she went down and found another knife on his left ankle.

She again handed it to Cagalli and went back up, this time from the back of his legs up. Shinn glanced at Cagalli and then looked lustily at Stellar, making her smile and blush. Luna's hands went over his butt (grody I know) and she took out his wallet from his back pocket.

"I wonder what Shinn has in here." She said and went beside him so he could watch her go through his wallet. She opened it and saw his I.D. and also a picture of them smiling, Shinn holding Luna.

She glanced at him and saw hurt and lust in his crimson eyes. She went back to his wallet and pulled out his Gun License and Credit Card, as well as a huge wad of cash, and gave it all to Cagalli.

She unzipped the other part and Shinn looked away as she pulled out a diamond ring…

* * *

**-Author's Note: DUN DUN DUUUUNNN!! Gasp! What's Shinn doing with a diamond ring?? And what's Kira gonna do when he finds out he's been captured? And is Dearka gonna get captured as well? Ahhhh I love cliffhangers! Please review this chapter and stay tuned for the next which should be coming tomorrow! Hope you liked it so far!-**


	3. Chapter 3: The Pain

**Chapter 3: The Pain**

**(A.K.A Shinn gets beat up a lot!)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own GSD or its characters unfortunately…..grrrrd, I hate saying this over and over again!**

* * *

She looked stunned as she held it out, her eyes wide. "But, who, how?" she asked breathlessly and confused. Shinn didn't look at her and Stellar gasped and cried, "Shinn propose to Luna? To Luna and not Stellar!? How could you!?" and kicked him again. "Bad Shinn! Very bad!" she screamed while she kicked him.

He fell to his knees, again biting his lip to keep from crying out.

"Stellar stop!" Luna cried and fell on her knees next to Shinn, putting her arms around him.

"Enough! Luna, get up and give me that ring!" Cagalli yelled and Luna handed it to her. Stellar crossed her arms and pouted while Shinn looked up defiantly at Cagalli. She examined the ring; it had a gold band with a big (and real) diamond in between two rubies, Luna's favorite gemstones.

It sparkled in the light and she looked at Luna, who was trying not to cry or look at Shinn.

"What were you planning on doing with this ring?" she asked him. "None of your business." He said darkly. "Fine then, Luna take him to his cell and lock him up, don't even untie him. And Luna," Cagalli said and looked straight into the girl's eyes, "Slap him across the face and tell him you no longer want his fake love." She said coldly.

Luna pulled Shinn up and led him out.

"Stellar, go with them and make sure she does it; if she doesn't, do it yourself." Cags told her and Stellar smirked and followed them out.

"Shinn, was that ring for me?" Luna asked carefully. He didn't answer. "Answer me!" she yelled and got in front of him. He looked down, still not saying anything. She let a tear roll down her cheek and onto the floor. Then shook her head and took Shinn's arm and put him in the cell.

"Fine then!" she said and slapped his handsome face and cried, "I no longer want your fake love Shinn Asuka!" tears streaming down her own face.

He finally looked at her and she saw all the pain and sadness in his beautiful red eyes; the eyes that first attracted her to him, the eyes she still loved. Then Stellar came up and slapped him as well. "Me neither! Come on Luna!" and dragged her away.

He went to the wall and slid down, one tear falling down his red and stinging cheek.

* * *

**5:30 p.m.**

Fllay was at the corner of O'Riellys and Meyrin's car was in the alleyway. Dearka came walking up the street and saw Fllay.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Fllay Alster. Is this your whore corner?" he smirked. "No, I was actually just waiting for someone." She said coolly. "What, a john (1)?" he sneered.

She smirked darkly. "Actually, you!" she said and pulled him into the alleyway and started to make out with him. Meyrin slipped silently out of her car and Fllay maneuvered Dearka so Meyrin could grab him, which she did and they shoved him into the car after tying him up, blindfolding him, and taping his mouth shut.

He tried to wriggle free but it was useless, he was being taken to the base.

Like Shinn, he was taken before Cagalli and brought to his knees.

"Well, well, well, tired of being a playboy now Dearka?" she asked him. "What are you going to do to me?" he asked, serious for once (a.k.a scared).

"Oh, I don't know; torture you, humiliate you, kill you and drag your corpse through the city, does that sound good girls?" she said casually. They grinned slyly and he started to freak out.

"W-what do you want from me!? I didn't do anything to you! It was all Shinn's fault!" he screamed and then gasped. _'Shit! I shouldn't have told them that!' _he thought.

Cagalli looked surprised. "Oh really now?" she asked, leaning against her desk and waiting for him to tell her more.

"Yeah, Shinn was the one that said we should fight," he said, unknowingly sending the young boy to his doom. "Search him and put him in a cell." She said.

The girls took his switchblade and a .45 cal cult and led him to his cell, which was next to Shinn's.

Dearka saw him and inwardly kicked himself. "They got you too?" he asked, stating the obvious. Shinn shook his head, sighing, "Lemme guess, you fell for Fllay, didn't you?" he asked, already knowing the answer. Dearka gave a sheepish look and said, "Kinda." and the two girls smirked as they threw him in the cell.

"Have fun boys!" Fllay teased. "Just not too much fun!" Meyrin joked and the girls laughed and high-fived.

Shinn glared at them and then turned his glare on Dearka. He tried not to look at him but ended up squirming underneath his deathly gaze. "Ok ok I told them you were the one that said we should fight!" he finally cried out.

"What!? You freaking idiot! I swear when I get out of this I'll beat the shit out of you!" Shinn yelled. Dearka flinched. "Sorry, I didn't know what to say. I thought they were really going to kill me, and besides, how was I supposed to know they captured you too!?" he whimpered.

Shinn rolled his eyes and said, "I don't even think that's why they've captured us and besides, I'm sure they won't kill us." "How do you know?" Dearka asked.

"Because they could use us to their advantage and they know it. Plus, if they were going to kill us they would've done it already." Shinn said coldly, his crimson eyes looking dark and furious.

"Well yeah but they could still kill us after they're done with us." Dearka said after a while. Just then Luna appeared again. "Hey Luna, Dearka wants to know if you're going to kill us." Shinn said bluntly while his eyes burned angrily into hers.

She tried not to flinch from his gaze. _'Those eyes can look so scary when he's angry, he looks like he's demon-possessed!' _she thought but said smirking, "Maybe, it just depends on how we're feeling, we might even torture you to get you to talk. In fact, Cagalli-san wants to see you now anyways." She smiled smugly as Stellar and Meyrin also came up.

Meyrin dragged Dearka out of his cell and Luna and Stellar took Shinn, both girls noting the hatred he showed toward them. _'Of course he's angry, we both betrayed him, not to mention slapped his handsome face and told him we "no longer needed his fake love" even though I didn't mean it.' _Luna thought and fought the urge to take his cheek and kiss it.

Stellar, however, returned the death glares, still obviously mad about the whole thing. Dearka just looked like he was about to pee his pants in fear. Baka. (I know I'm being harsh but I can't help it).

* * *

They brought the two prisoners to their Godfather's office and once again brought them to their knees.

"Ok boys, I'm giving you one chance to tell me your plans." Cagalli stated, staring them down. She knew she could get Dearka to give in, but Shinn was much harder, especially when he was angry like he was now.

Dearka glanced at Shinn and he shook his head, a signal for Dearka to just keep his mouth shut.

"We're not telling you anything Cagalli, so you best just get this over with."  
Shinn said darkly, staring _her_ down. She didn't flinch or even back down. His blood-red eyes didn't scare her, so she just stared back.

"Very well then. You will be held for ransom, I'll demand Kira to give up his territory for the return of you two or I'll kill you both right in front of him." Cagalli told them coldly.

Luna gasped and glanced at Shinn, who also glanced at her, their eyes meeting. He quickly looked away and Luna glanced at Cagalli, a pleading look on her face.

"Kira's never going to give up our territory, especially just for the return of us, so you might as well kill us and get it over with." Shinn spat. Dearka looked at him stunned, his eyes wide and jaw dropped. He gulped when he realized that his friend was actually right.

"No point in not trying though, right?" she said darkly and dialed her brother's cell, putting it on speaker phone. He picked up and asked, "What do you want?" very hastily.

"Why my dear brother, I have a little surprise for you." She said while smirking. He snorted and said, "Oh really? What can that be?" sarcastically.

"Shinn Asuka and Dearka Elsman, as my prisoners." She told him. Shinn looked down, knowing full well that Kira would be furious, which he was.

"What!? I knew he'd get caught; how the hell did you get Dearka?" Kira asked. "Hn, Fllay and Meyrin picked him up near O'Riellys." She smirked. He growled.

"So what do you want?" he asked through clenched teeth. "What do you think? Your territory or I'll execute Mr. Asuka and Mr. Elsman right in front of you." She told him.

There was a pause on the other end. Dearka gulped and hoped Kira wouldn't sentence him to death.

"I'm not giving you my territory that easily Cagalli." He said angrily. "Then you sentence your friends to death?" she asked as both Shinn and Dearka snapped their heads up, eyes widened.

Kira sighed. He didn't know what to say, of course he wouldn't give up his territory, but he couldn't let her kill two of his men; no, he'd rather do it himself.

"Well?" Cagalli asked, waiting for an answer as Shinn and Dearka held their breath.

Just then she heard Athrun speaking in the background, she couldn't understand what he was saying but heard Lacus and Milly's names mentioned. _'Oh God,' _she thought.

"Well, it looks like Athrun and Yzak captured your two friends Lacus and Milly." Kira smirked as Cags screamed, "Shit!" and slammed her fist on her desk, while the other girls looked shocked.

Shinn smirked and said, "Ha! In your face!" "SHUT UP SHINN!" Kira and Cagalli both yelled. He growled and Dearka screamed, "Oh come on Kira! It's not like we meant to be captured or anything! Besides, I DON'T WANNA BE TORTURED BY EVIL HOT CHICKS!!"

Shinn rolled his eyes and said, "Hopefully they'll kill you!" "I'll kill you both when you get back! I shouldn't even bother trading you two, I could just keep Lacus and Milly and they can keep you two, you're useless anyway!" Kira yelled.

"I AM NOT YOU BASTARD!" Shinn yelled. "CALL ME THAT ONE MORE TIME SHINN AND IT'S OFF!" Kira yelled back. "BASTARD! I DON'T WANNA COME BACK ANYWAY!" Shinn yelled back and Cagalli glanced at Stellar who kicked Shinn in the nuts, making him double-over and said, "You know, we can always just keep Shinn and give you back Dearka, then we can all get what we want." She said and looked at Luna.

The girl went over to Shinn and whispered, "Look, I know you hate my guts right now but you seriously shouldn't talk to Kira like that! I don't want you to die!" Shinn looked away and didn't say anything.

"What'll it be, Kira?" Cagalli asked.

"I guess it'll be an even trade, unless you want your girls tortured and killed." Kira answered and ran his hand across Lacus' cheek, who half-blushed, half-shivered.

"You still want Shinn back, or just Dearka?" she asked. "Sure, I'll take the brat back; I'd rather kill him myself anyways." Kira said coldly. Luna was then dragged off of Shinn by Stellar with a signal from Cagalli who said, "Fine, where should we meet to make the trade?"

"In the parking lot of Rockstar Bar, tomorrow at 4:00 p.m." he said. _'Good' _she said, getting an idea. "Ok, and Kira, if you hurt my girls I'll make you regret it." She said dangerously and hung up. Then she smirked.

"Well boys, until tomorrow, we get to have some fun!" she sneered. Dearka looked terrified while Shinn looked angry and glared at her. "So girls, what do you think we should do to these handsome young men?" she asked them. Fllay came in as she said it and grinned slyly, looking at Shinn.

* * *

**-Author's Note: YIKES! Angry much? What's with the little fight between Shinn and Kira you must be asking? All in due time, these answers will be revealed all in due time! (Laughs like an evil maniac) Ok I'm done; please tell me what you think! I really appreciate all who review ad all who already reviewed! Peace!-**


	4. Chapter 4: Truth or Dare?

**Chapter 4: Truth or Dare?**

**Disclaimer: I don't wanna say it no mo!**

**Shinn: (sigh) okay fine, I'LL say it! Kiheada.Ray.T. doesn't own GSD or any characters even though she wants to. Also, IT'S ALL HER FAULT! (Points to me and then runs away)**

**Me: Umm, Shinn? What was that all about? (Scratches head looking confused)**

**Kira: (Comes up behind me with a gun) so it was your fault huh? (Says in dark voice pointing gun at me)**

**Me…uh oh…..ON WITH THE STORY!**

* * *

"Well if Luna and Stellar let me I'll take care of Shinn." Fllay said and slid her hand down his face as he glared at her. She liked Shinn because he looked almost exactly like Kira, who she thought was the sexiest man alive (which he is so P). 

Luna was about to object when Stellar said, "As long as I can have some fun with him too." and grinned evilly.

Shinn began to look scared, and glanced at Luna and then Cagalli. Cagalli looked at Luna as well as the others and she looked from Shinn to her friends.

"I don't care." She said sadly. "Very well then, take him." Cagalli said and they pulled Shinn up and led him away, with Shinn throwing a look of betrayal at Luna on his way out.

"Now for Dearka, since Kira has Milly what should we do with him?" Cagalli asked Meyrin and Luna. Meyrin smirked, "Let's give him a taste of true heartbreak!" she said.

Luna just stood there. "Are you alright Luna?" Cagalli asked in a genuinely concerned voice. "No, not really, I'm going to my room." She said.

Dearka saw that Luna still had feelings for Shinn and wondered if that's how Milly felt as well.

"Well then, maybe you can join up with Stellar and Fllay and torture them both, I want Kira to know that we're not just little girls playing around." Cagalli said. "Yes ma'am." Meyrin said doing a mock salute and dragged Dearka to Fllay's room where they took Shinn.

* * *

Stellar and Fllay were practically gushing over the young boy, who in turn glared and wished he didn't agree to go on that date with Luna. _'This is great, Kira was right, I shouldn't have agreed, dammit! Well, this is what I get for being so damn impulsive, at least that's what Kira's gonna say. Oh God, I wonder what he'll do this time…'_ he thought and gulped. 

"Isn't he so hot!? And so young too!" Fllay was saying. Shinn said nothing and continued to glare. "Stellar thinks he'd look better if he wasn't scowling and glaring all the time!" Stellar said and pinched his cheeks.

"Stop!" Shinn said. His hands were still tied behind his back and he was up against the wall on Fllay's bed. She giggled, "Stellar couldn't help it! Stellar sorry she slapped your pretty face, she was just mad that Shinn betrayed her and Luna!" Stellar pouted.

"That's life babe, get over it." He growled.

She gasped and her face went red. "Oooooo, Shinn's got some guts after all! I'm really starting to like you." Fllay said and ran her finger from his hair and down his cheek. He didn't cringe or even try to stop her; he just watched her hand go down…

Meyrin came in just then with Dearka and announced, "Girls, let's have some fun!" as she grinned. The other girls grinned as well.

The two boys looked at each other as if they were going to die. _'Shit' _Shinn thought. This wasn't going to end well.

"Ok, Stellar thinks we should torture them until they talk!" Stellar said, back in her angry mode as she glared at Shinn. _'I just had to open my mouth…'_ he thought regretfully.

"Like I said to Cagalli, we're not telling you anything." Shinn told her with a deadly gleam in his eyes. Stellar quickly glanced at Fllay who was still beside Shinn and said, "Oh really?" while smirking as Fllay twisted his right arm (sound familiar?) and coordinator weakness. Shinn cried out in pain as his whole body felt as if it were being twisted. Dearka gasped and blurted, "That's his coordinator weakness! Stop! You'll kill him!"

But Fllay held firm and Shinn closed his eyes tightly.

"Well she'll stop if you tell us your plans against us." Meyrin said sweetly. "Don't tell them anything Dearka." Shinn said through clenched teeth and gave him The Look. That look scared Dearka so bad the fear was written on his face and he didn't say a word.

Stellar and Fllay exchanged another glance and Fllay twisted Shinn's arm more and slammed him against the wall. Shinn cried out again, closing his eyes and clenching his teeth so tightly he was afraid they'd break.

"Tell us Dearka and we'll stop hurting him." Meyrin said. Shinn looked at him, and even though he could see the pain in his eyes, he could also see the anger and knew that if he told the girls about Operation: Lust then not only would Shinn kill him, but Kira would too.

So again he said nothing and even had to look away, guilt and sorrow on his face. Meyrin became annoyed and nodded to Fllay who turned Shinn around and kneed him in the nuts. "OW!" Shinn screamed.

Dearka finally burst, "Stop it! He's still young you could seriously hurt him!" and Fllay let go of Shinn and he hissed in pain. "I'm so sorry Shinn, I was just following orders, are you bleeding anywhere?" she asked, feeling him up to see if she did any damage.

He shrugged away from her and said darkly, "I'm fine Fllay." but she continued to check him until Meyrin rolled her eyes and said, "Fllay would you stop groping him like a whore!? You're making me sick!"

The girl looked at her, stunned that she was called a whore, even though she really was. Dearka snickered until all the girls were glaring at him and then started to whistle as if he didn't do anything.

"Stellar's bored now." Stellar said. Meyrin sighed, "Aren't we all?" she asked sarcastically. "Let's get Luna and play Truth or dare." Fllay suggested, grinning. The other two girls piped up with "Ok!" and Meyrin left the room in search of her sister.

"Are you sure you're ok Shinn?" Fllay asked, with a sly grin on her face. "I'm sure Fllay." he said. "How come you never smile? You'd look so cute if you smiled." she said. "How can I smile when I'm being held prisoner and tortured?" he asked sarcastically.

"I didn't mean to." she murmured and traced his cheek with her finger yet again. His eyes followed as it went down his neck and onto his chest.

Just then Meyrin came back with her sister, who seemed to have brightened up. "Ok, let's play Truth or Dare. I'll go first." Meyrin said as she sat down on the floor where Dearka was and Luna sat next to the bed.

"Luna, truth or dare?" she asked. Luna thought she was playing it smart when she answered, "Truth." but Mey grinned and asked, "Is it true that you still love Shinn?" which caught her off-guard. She glanced at Shinn who was looking at her, and remembered the ring.

"Um, uh, I guess." she said quietly. "Yes or no, Luna." Meyrin smirked. "Yes, but only if Shinn says yes too." she said quickly. The girls looked at Shinn and Meyrin asked, "Well, do you still love Luna, Shinn?"

He glanced from Luna, to the other girls, to Dearka. He didn't know what to say, if he said yes then they'd gush over the two lovers and Dearka would tell Kira, but if he said no then the girls would be mad and he'd break Luna's heart, making it hard to complete Operation Lust. So, he sighed, deciding the most obvious choice.

"Yes." and then looked away.

They gasped and Fllay quickly took her hands off of Shinn. "Shinn and Luna sitting in a tree," Meyrin began. "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Fllay, Stellar, and even Dearka continued as the two lovers blushed.

"First comes LOVE, then comes MARRIAGE, then comes the baby in the baby carriage! That's not all, that's not all! I saw Luna sneaking alcohol!" the girls sang as Dearka laughed and Shinn's face matched his eyes and Luna's matched her hair.

They all started laughing as Cagalli came in, and then suddenly stopped.

"Well, did you find out anything?" she asked. "Only that Shinn and Luna are still in love!" Meyrin teased. "Stellar still mad then, Shinn doesn't like Stellar!" Stellar said sadly.

"Oh get over it, so you didn't find out anything about their plans?" Cagalli asked. "Nope, we tortured Shinn but neither will tell us anything, so we decided to play Truth or Dare." Meyrin winked at Cagalli who got the message.

"Ok, carry on." Cagalli said and stood watching. "Ok, who's next?" Meyrin asked.

"Stellar wants to go!" Stellar said and looked at Dearka. "Truth or dare, Dearka?" she asked. "Uhhh, truth?" he said cautiously. "Is it true you're a coward and would've told us everything if Shinn wasn't here?" Stellar asked bluntly without blinking.

Dearka looked angry and then had a guilty and sheepish look as he said, "Probably, yes." and didn't meet Shinn's icy glare. Cagalli smirked. "My turn!" Fllay said and turned to Shinn. "Truth or dare?" she asked.

Not wanting to be a coward he said bravely, "Dare." making all the girls go "Ohhhhhh!" "Ok then, I dare you to tell us Kira's plans." She said and smirked.

'_Crap! It was a trick!' _He thought and saw Cagalli staring at him. "I don't know Kira's plans." he also smirked and looked at Fllay.

* * *

**-Author's Note: So, how was that? Thank you to all who reviewed! For all of those who are familiar with some of my other stories you might be wondering, "Why do you keep hurting poor Shinn?" well, I'm sorry, but he's just so easy to hurt! You know what I mean? And I'm sorry for making Dearka out to be a coward, I promise I'll make everything clear in time, remember, this is just the beginning of a long story (wink) he he he, well, please review and thank you for reading!-**


	5. Chapter 5: Lies and Love

**Chapter 5: Lies and Love**

**Disclaimer: I don't own GSD or any characters. But I do own the fic and plot. So NO TOUCHY!!! Lol.**

* * *

"Liar!" Cagalli snapped. "Yeah, it was a dare, Shinn, and if you don't do it you'll have to take off your shirt." Fllay said and grinned. "How will you take off my shirt with my hands tied?" he asked. 

"Are you saying you're not going to do the dare?" she asked. "Duh." he said. "Ok." Fllay shrugged and Stellar grabbed Shinn and untied him and then Fllay quickly pulled off his shirt while Stellar held onto Shinn's hands.

Cagalli still looked annoyed, however, and glared at the cocky Shinn, who was still smirking. "Ooo, six-pack!" Fllay said as she felt Shinn's muscles and abs. Luna twitched uncomfortably but didn't want to say anything because her Godfather was still there.

"Ok Luna, your turn." Fllay said. Luna thought, _'What could I ask who?' _and decided on her sister. "Meyrin, truth or dare?" "Dare!" Meyrin said and smirked. "I dare you to make-out with Dearka!" Luna said and Meyrin cringed, "Ok, fine, but no one tells Milly!" she said and kissed Dearka who looked like he enjoyed it.

"Do we get a turn?" Shinn asked. "Nope," the girls said. "Since you're so eager to go again, Shinn, truth or dare?" Cagalli asked and smirked as well. "Truth." Shinn said. "Coward." Cagalli said. "No, I'm just smart and knew you'd ask me the same thing Fllay asked." he countered.

"Then is it true that Kira abuses you and uses you as a scapegoat?" she asked coldly. A glint of resentment shone in Shinn's eyes as he said bitterly, "That's none of your business."

"Say yes or no or it's your pants next." Cagalli said and Fllay put her hand near his belt. Shinn looked directly into Cagalli's eyes, the blood-red searing with hatred, and said, "Yes." again bitterly.

* * *

When his sister hung up he put his phone down and said to everyone, "We'll make the exchange at Rockstar Bar at 4:00 p.m. tomorrow, until then, do whatever you want with Mirillia." and the boys grinned. 

"But you're coming with me." he said to Lacus who blushed even more. "Ooo, Kira likes Lacus!" Yzak sneered. "Shut-up Yzak." Kira said darkly and dismissed the boys and led Lacus-san to his room.

"Wh-why am I with you?" she stammered. His amethyst eyes softened as he said, "I didn't want them to hurt you." "But what about Milly?" she asked. "They won't really hurt her, Lacus, relax." he said, brushing some hair from her face.

He always had a soft spot for Lacus Clyne. Her pink hair and innocent smile made him ask why she joined Cagalli's gang; she said that she wanted to make sure that her friends were alright. The same with Nicol.

He saw how much she blushed when he touched her and asked, "Do you like me, Lacus, even though I may be cruel?" She looked startled and said, "You weren't always so mean, I liked you when you were the nice, sweet Kira Yamato in school."

"Then why do you blush now when I touch you?" he asked, his hand still on her cheek. "Well, because you're still cute, and you're the Godfather." She said quietly, not looking at him.

He smiled and kissed her on the cheek, and she gasped and looked shocked at this act of affection. "What? I'm not always mean and cold-hearted!" he said and smiled his sweet, beautiful smile. She smiled as well, "Then why must you be mean to your sister?" she asked cautiously.

His eyes turned dark and she wondered if she just ruined her chances of being treated nicely. But then a sad look came over Kira's face as he said, "Me and Cagalli have chosen separate paths in life, I didn't want her to take over the Pokitknives, but she was stubborn and refused to back down. That was when we swore not to let our sibling bond get in the way of running the gangs."

Then she understood. She brushed his cheek with her hand and pulled him into a hug. He didn't resist and hugged her back.

* * *

"So what are we gonna do with her?" Yzak asked. Milly was sitting on the floor against Athrun's bed where the boys took her. It was Yzak, Athrun, Rey, and Nicol. Nicol looked sympathetic as he said, "I don't want to hurt you, why don't we just talk or something?" 

Yzak snorted and muttered, "Pansy." and Athrun shot him a look and said, "I agree, so, Milly, anything we should know about that's going down with Pokitknives?" She glared at him, "Nothing I'd tell you." she spat.

Rey smirked and Yzak laughed, "Smooth Zala." he said. Athrun shot him an icy glare, "Ok then, Joule, why don't you ask?" he sneered. "Tch, I'd get more out of her than you!" Yzak sneered back and turned to Milly, "Well," he said, taking out his switchblade.

"Anything you wanna tell us?" he asked again as the boys (except Nicol) grinned. She looked nervous but didn't back down, "Like I said, nothing I'd tell you." she said icily.

With a quick movement she was laying on the floor, knife cold on her throat, Yzak sitting on top of her. She gasped, _'He's a coordinator, of course he's fast!' _she told herself. Nicol looked away. "Last time Mirillia, what's Cagalli planning?" she knew she couldn't tell them that they had a Plan B, so she tried lying her way out of it.

"Nothing, we only had the ransom plan." she told him. He looked disbelieving and knew she was lying, "Liar." he said and slid the knife down. She screamed as Nicol shouted, "No! Don't!" and Athrun held him back as Rey still smirked.

Just then Kira burst in followed by Lacus who gasped and covered her mouth at the scene before her.

Yzak was still sitting on Milly whose shirt had been cut in half, blood coming out of the wound. He smirked and looked to the Godfather who looked angry yet pleased. Nicol looked at Kira, shock in his eyes that he could allow Yzak to do such a thing.

Lacus went to Milly but Kira stopped her and said, "Nicol, stitch her up so she doesn't bleed to death and throw away her shirt. I want you to keep interrogating her." coldly.

Both girls gasped as Kira led Lacus away.

"Why'd you say that?" Lacus asked him, an icy darkness to her tone. She looked at him spitefully and he glared at her. "You girls need to be taught a lesson, we won't kill you, but if we must we will shame you, don't make me do that to you." he said again coldly.

She put her hand over her chest and glared at him.

He was saddened that her once innocent smile and sweet voice now looked hateful and sounded dark. She saw his face change and continued to stare him down.

"It is you _boys _that must be taught a lesson." she said again in the same dark tone. He looked away and continued to drag her back to his room. Only moments ago they were embracing each other, now they would have to start all over again…

She was still mad at him when they got to his room and Kira sighed and said, "Look, I'm sorry you had to witness that, but I have to do what I have to do, you must understand that Lacus. I can't look soft or weak in front of anyone except you and Nicol, because I trust you." Lacus saw the sincere look in his eyes and was actually surprised and quite flattered.

"It's ok, Kira. I understand, Cagalli has to be mean sometimes, they're probably interrogating Shinn and Dearka as well." she said.

Kira's face hardened yet again as he said bitterly, "They're both idiots. I bet they're telling everything, especially Dearka. And Shinn will probably fall in love with Luna again and screw everything up."

"I'm sure they'll have to be tortured to the max to tell your gang secrets. Besides, why are you so mean to Shinn? I thought you were friends." Lacus said curiously. "I don't want to talk about it." Kira said, not meeting her eye.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Well, that was pretty exciting wasn't it?? Please review and tell me what you think ok people!? Sorry so short! And also, I'd like to see you guys guess at why Kira and Shinn are kinda on-edge about each other, ya know? Just to see what you guys can think of. D he he he!-**


	6. Chapter 6: I'm Feelin' The Love

**Chapter 6: I'm Feelin' The Love**

**Disclaimer: I don't want to say it…**

**Shinn: She doesn't Own Gundam Seed or Destiny**

**Kira: Or any of the characters from the shows (Because I do, he he)**

**Cagalli: No he doesn't the creators of those shows own us! But she does own the plot**

**Lacus: So please be nice and don't steal her idea!**

**Me:…Gee, thanks guys! On with the story!**

* * *

The girls gasped after Shinn confessed and he had to look away. They all looked to Dearka who said sadly, "It's true, since Shinn's the youngest he usually gets picked on and blamed for everything but all of us." and looked away guiltily.

"Awww, poor Shinn!" Fllay said and embraced him, who almost jumped in surprise and then glared down at her. Cagalli cleared her throat and said, "Then why don't you just get back at him by telling us his plans?" she pried, hoping to get more information from the revenge-craved boy.

"Because that'll only make things worse and I'm not that easy." He growled. _'Well, there goes that theory,' _she thought to herself and glared back at him. "Tch, Fllay," she signaled, nodding to the red-head.

"Do I have to?" she whined, her eyes pleading, Shinn moved his right arm out of reach of her and continued to glare defiantly at Cags. Cagalli snapped her head to Fllay and looked almost shocked and appalled as she almost screamed, "Yes you have to! You will continue to torture these boys until they give us information! I don't care if they're near death by the time you're done, serves them all right!"

The boys glanced worriedly at each other as the girls flinched at their leaders tone and ferocity. Dearka mouthed, "Let me tell them, I'll just make up something," but before Shinn could respond Stellar grabbed his arm, pushed him flat on the bed with her knee on his back, and twisted.

'_Not again!' _Shinn thought as he bit back a cry of pain. "Come on Dearka, I'm sure you don't like seeing Shinn get hurt like this, just tell us Kira's plans and we'll leave you both alone." Cagalli told him with a vicious gleam in her eyes.

Luna looked to be almost in tears as she saw her beloved's face contorted in pain and looked over at Cagalli pleading, "Why can't we just torture Dearka? I'm sure he'll fess up if he's in pain!"

Dearka's jaw dropped and he sweat-dropped as he saw Cagalli look from the pleading Luna to the pain-filled yet stubborn Shinn and then to him. "Fine," she grumbled, seeming to enjoy the hot-headed youth in pain.

Stellar let go of Shinn and Fllay once again sat him up and started rubbing his arm. Luna glared at her and decided to just come over there herself as she moved Fllay away and rubbed his arms herself. He rested his head in the crook of his neck and groaned from the aching pain.

Meyrin grinned at Dearka and said, "Let's find _your _weak spot." Shinn didn't look as she poked and prodded Dearka, making him chuckle.

"That just tickles," he said but then winced in pain, indicating that she had found his weakness.

"Gotcha!" she said excitedly and kneed him in the stomach. "Oof!" he huffed and doubled over. Shinn then twitched and Luna and Fllay saw his eyes go dangerously cold. They cast a worried glance at Cagalli who wasn't paying attention to them any more.

Luna cast another glance down at Shinn and from the side saw The Look. She looked over at Fllay who was closest and their worried eyes met. Fllay gave her a look that asked, "What's going on with him?" and Luna's eyes lit with fear as Meyrin continued to pound on Dearka.

Shinn growled low deep in his throat and the saying that came to mind was _"If looks could kill," _

Fllay understood and asked, "Hey Cags, what if Kira really doesn't have any plans? Or if he didn't tell them?" trying desperately to prevent Shinn from doing something…destructive.

Cagalli shot her an annoyed look and replied," Then why would Shinn ask Luna out? Of is he just that desperate? He has plans, and he did tell them." And then they all noticed Shinn as his growling grew louder and more menacing.

Cagalli smirked and said, "So Shinn, up to confessing?"

He slowly turned to look at her straight and turned up the full volume of The Look. His eyes were narrowed to slits, but you could see enough that they were cold and dark, yet somehow knowing; like he knew she was going to die by his gaze. His jaw set, teeth clenched, she knew that look.

It was Kira's signature look; only with Shinn's blood-red eyes it looked even more intimidating. In short, her own amber eyes hinted at fear as Shinn looked like the Ultimate Homicidal Maniac (except he wasn't foaming so he still looked sexy) that was ready to strike at any God-given moment.

Stellar saw her Leader look genuinely scared and curiously followed the other's gazes to look at Shinn. "AHHH! DEMON!!" she screamed and made everyone jump. Shinn smirked slightly and turned the Look on Stellar who continued to spas as if he said "Die!"

Dearka got the hint and shouted, "HOLY SHIT HE'S GOING CRAZY AGAIN! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" The girls looked anxiously at each other, wondering what to do as they slowly inched farther from Shinn.

Luna let go of him and cautiously started to edge away off of the bed, but a glare out of the corner of his eye made her freeze in terror.

When the girls weren't looking at them the boys exchanged winks, and Shinn returned to The Look as he continued to pour it down on Cagalli.

"Ok girls, calm down. It's just him and Kira's little signature look to intimidate us!" Cagalli told them, regaining her composure. "You don't know Shinn," Dearka replied with a hint of fear in his voice as he continued acting (actually barely even acting, because this was kinda true. Kinda.)

The Pokitknives looked curiously from Dearka to Shinn. "When he gets mad, he'll even dare to go up against Kira, and actually hurt him!" he continued. They looked at Luna and Fllay asked her, "Is that true?"

Seeing Shinn's glare turned on her again she nodded and gulped, still frozen on the bed next to the extremely dangerous Shinn Asuka.

"Oh please! Can't you see they're only trying to scare you!? Cut the crap, Shinn. Tell me Kira's plans if you want to live." Cagalli also growled in a dark tone.

Lunamaria Hawke gasped and looked at her Godfather and Dearka looked surprised as he asked, "What do you mean, 'if we want to live'? Kira will kill you if you kill us! Besides, I think he wants to kill Shinn himself," and tried not to look at Shinn as he growled at him again.

"I'm tired of playing games." Cagalli continued in her dark voice. She took out her revolver and pointed it at Shinn's head. "I mean it, Asuka. Tell me his plans or there won't be an exchange tomorrow." She told him with cold eyes and a hardened heart.

"But what about Lacus and Milly?" Stellar asked. "We'll get them back. Well Shinn, I'm waiting." Cags said and cocked the gun. Shinn looked at Dearka and he just nodded, and quicker than any innocent person could, he thought up a lie.

"He's planning on bombing your base." He told her. Everyone gasped as he continued, "We were going to plant them tonight, but you caught us."

"What!?" Fllay shrieked and Shinn smirked. Cagalli narrowed her eyes, not believing that it was true, but at least satisfied to get an answer. Luna looked at her little sister and shook her head sadly.

Dearka sighed with relief and said, "Well, now we've got that over with, I'm kinda tired, do we get to sleep in any of the beds?" hopefully, smiling innocently. Cagalli shot him a look but saw Luna glance from her to Shinn, a signal.

"Fine, Dearka, you can take Milly's bed, and Shinn," she said and smirked before continuing, "You can be the girl's man-hoe for the night."

Shinn was about to shout something unpleasant when Luna took the opportunity to ask, "Hey, wanna sleep with me?" He looked over at her, surprised.

He blinked. "W-what?" he asked, amazed. _'At the store she acted like she hated me, and then she decided to give me another chance; only to betray me. I thought she really did hate me until she saw that ring, I guess it was a bit extreme, even though they she wasn't supposed to know about it until later on. I don't get her, what's she up to now?' _he thought and narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her.

Dearka got up and nudged him, "Dude, a hot chick wants to sleep with you, do it! It might be the only chance you have with her," he whispered and hinted at the _real _plan.

Shinn nodded and said, "Uncuff me and I'm yours." In a sexy way while looking at her in a sexy way.

Fllay got a mock-surprised look and said, "Ooo, ow ow!" while winking at Luna who blushed. Stellar looked confused, then slightly angry/jealous, then sad. "Stellar going to bed now." and trudged out sadly.

"Me too, Luna, you disgust me. Tch, sleeping with the enemy," Meyrin mumbled that last part to herself and followed Stellar out.

Fllay sighed, "Ok guys, get out of here so I can get some beauty sleep if we're meeting Kira tomorrow." She said and Shinn rolled his eyes. Luna uncuffed him and he rubbed his wrists as he got off the bed and Dearka followed them out.

"Milly's room is right here. Don't try anything, Elsman, we have video cameras that can see _and _hear." Luna warned him with a look. "Yes ma'am, good luck with Shinn!" he teased and chuckled as Shinn shook his head.

They were walking down the hall when Shinn said, "I bet we would've had fun if we really had that date tonight." in a reserved yet soft tone, almost regretful. "Yeah, I'm sorry Shinn, I really am. If I knew how you actually felt," Luna trailed off, shaking her head sadly.

Shinn flinched. _'Stick to the plan. She's _supposed_ to think you love her! But do I?' _he asked himself.

"Hello!? Earth to Shinn!" she said and giggled. "Oh, sorry," he said and blushed slightly. "We're here." She said and opened her door. They went inside and Shinn reached down inside his pocket and felt the condom he put there earlier.

"What's that?" she asked as she saw him reach into his pocket. "Uh, nothing," he said and smiled –innocently-. _'I don't know what her game is, so I'll pull it out if she wants sex so she won't get any ideas,' _he told himself.

She shrugged and looked at the digital clock that read 10:30. "Wow, that lasted long, is your arm ok?" she asked him as she took it and started rubbing it like before. Shinn blushed slightly yet again and said, "Um, its fine, just a little sore."

She smiled and looked at his handsome face and now soft crimson eyes. She felt herself lean forward and closed her eyes. He took her face in his hands and closed the distance, kissing her softly at first, and then more passionately. She wrapped her arms around him as he guided her towards the bed.

'_I guess I'll need that condom after all…' _he thought as he laid her down and looked into her eyes, making sure it was still ok (in case she decided to change her mind again). He grinned and kissed her again as she disabled the camera…

* * *

**-Author's Note: Ok, this one is longer, woot! Tell me what you think please! I know there's not a lot of Kira-and-da-rest-of-the-boys action, but that'll be next chapter, along with the exchange and something not so good for poor Shinn, of course you knew that though. Anyways, please review and tell me what you think because I really like reviews, they make me feel all warm inside, he he! Ahem, anyways, hope you liked the chappy, thanks to everyone who've already reviewed! Peace out homies!-**


	7. Chapter 7: Tension

**Chapter 7: Tension**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Gundam Seed because it owns me! Eh heh…**

**Cagalli: (raised eyebrow) ok then…**

* * *

She woke up slightly dazed; wondering if what really happened last night between her and Shinn was just a wonderful dream. She saw an arm around her and grinned to herself as she turned slowly to see Shinn breathing softly next to her, his eyes closed; making him resemble something pure and innocent.

'_Awww, he looks so cute!' _she thought to herself and touched his face. His skin was so soft, and he didn't move when she caressed his cheek, in fact, after a while he smiled.

She smiled too as his eyes fluttered open and he looked at her. "Good morning, did I wake you?" she asked gently. "Mmm mmm." He replied and closed his eyes as she started rubbing his back. He moaned and she giggled.

She wished that they could be like this forever, but alas, they were in two different gangs, and he would have to go back to his today. She sighed and her eyes turned downcast. He opened his eyes and saw that she was sad.

He sat up and pulled her to him, hugging her softly. "It's gonna be ok, Luna, I won't hurt you." He told her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his chest.

"What if Kira makes you?" she asked what he had been dreading. What if Kira _did _make him kill her because he got captured by her? He was doing the plan, but Kira would be mad anyway.

He sighed and didn't answer, making her squeeze him tightly as small tears began to flow down her cheeks.

"Shhhh, don't cry Luna. Please don't cry." He said, tightening his grip on her. She tried to stop the tears, but they came anyway. Shinn looked at the digital clock on the nightstand, it was 10:00 a.m, and Cagalli would be in any second to retrieve them.

"Luna, please, calm down; I won't hurt you, I'll quit if he makes me. Don't worry; I can't hurt you girls any more." Shinn told her and she looked into those red eyes full of honesty and sorrow.

"Ok, but I don't want him to hurt you either." She said. He chuckled bitterly. "I'm sure he will, you heard him, but don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Even though he does and says those things, I think it's because he really cares about me and doesn't want me to be stupid and get killed one day." He said, surprising himself.

She nodded and hugged him again. Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door and they heard Cagalli yell: "Ok love birds, get up! You've had enough time to sleep, move it!"

Luna sighed and got out of bed, pulling the covers over her. Shinn chuckled and got behind her, putting his arms around her waist. "It's not like I haven't seen anything before, Lunamaria. You don't have to hide yourself." He teased jokingly.

She blushed and said, "I just feel funny walking around naked, get your clothes, I'll change in the bathroom and you can change out here." she told him.

He pouted. "Why?" he asked and she sighed, glaring at him playfully. "Just do it." She said and walked toward her dresser, getting out some clothes and then going into the bathroom.

He grabbed his clothes off the floor and got them on, and making sure Luna was still in the bathroom, he permanently disabled the camera, smirking to himself.

* * *

Lacus Clyne woke up feeling better than any time she's ever felt before. At first she wondered why she felt so great, but then she realized why when she saw who was laying next to her.

She blushed a deep red and gasped as she saw Kira, lying next to her, naked, and she was naked too! She fought the urge to scream.

'_Did we really have sex? Did _I _have sex with the enemy Godfather and also the hottest guy in the city?!' _she asked herself, breathing hard. _'Cagalli is going to kill me! What am I going to do!?' _she asked herself as she cautiously scooted to the edge of his bed, pulling the covers over her tightly and rummaging on the floor for her clothes.

She was shaking and slightly clammy, she guessed that she must look terrible; hair all askew, face pale. She reached underneath the bed to get her shirt and ended up falling forward, getting tangled in the sheets.

There was a loud _thump! _and she groaned, rubbing her head. She heard laughing and saw Kira looking down at her from the bed and blushed a deeper red, trying to cover herself as he continued to laugh.

She glared at him until he stopped, although he was still smiling, and he pulled her up with strength that normal people just didn't have. He untangled the covers around her and kissed her passionately, running his hands through her hair and over her body.

She shuddered at his touch and pushed him away. "Kira," she began, not able to meet his eye as she continued to blush. He tilted his head to the side and turned her face toward him. "What's the matter?" he asked her.

"It's just, Cagalli is going to kill me, and, I'm not a virgin anymore! We're not married, we're enemies! I-," and she was cut off by Kira who kissed her again, making her relax slightly.

He looked deep into her eyes and said, "Lacus, calm down, it's not the end of the world, this is none of Cagalli's business, and besides, maybe we'll get married later on. All I know is that last night was great and I hope you enjoyed it too."

She smiled and hugged him. "Thank you, Kira. I did enjoy it." She said and he smiled, hugging her back. "See, I'm still the nice, sweet Kira you used to know and love." He told her and she blushed again.

He looked to the clock on the wall, 10:00 (wow ain't that ironic? Hint hint). "We'd better get ready; we have to trade you guys at four. Do you want some breakfast? Athrun is a pretty good cook." Kira told her.

"Um, sure, but Kira…I have to ask you something." Lacus said and bit her lip, wondering how exactly she could put this. "What?" he asked. "Well, that fight over the phone you had with Shinn, what was that all about anyway? You've never really answered my question about that. And…w-what are you going to d-do to him when he gets back?" she asked cautiously, leaning away from him in case he gets angry.

He looked away for a second and decided it was time for her to know the truth. "Look, don't tell anyone about this ok, Athrun is the only other person who knows." He made her swear. She nodded and he continued.

"A while back, when me and Shinn were actually friends, I got really drunk and came home totally trashed. I was so screwed up that I thought the babe I was chatting up at the bar was the one leading me to my room…but it was Shinn." He said and glanced nervously at her, she nodded for him to go on.

"Well, as you can imagine, me still thinking it was a babe instead of Shinn, I, um…started making out with…him, and he tried to get me to stop, but I guess I was still too strong for him. So, I threw him on the bed…and yeah…I woke up with a major headache and a bleeding and confused Shinn.

"He started freaking out when he remembered what happened, and he practically ran around my room getting his clothes, I tried to calm him down but he just spazzed out and said that…that it was his first time last night, and that he'd always wanted his first time to be…well…good…and with a girl…" Kira said and Lacus gasped.

"At first I wouldn't let him leave because I didn't want him to go crazy and get run over or something, but he was crying and screaming and struggling so I finally had to let him go and he ran out of my house and wouldn't talk to me for a while.

"When the whole gang wars started I went to his house and asked if he would ever be able to forgive me, I told him I was just really drunk and thought he was someone else, and he reluctantly forgave me and decided to join the gang, because he had nothing better to do and lived with some foster parents who didn't care about him anyway.

"Well, one night, we were talking, and I confessed that I really cared about him, and he said that his first time wasn't really that bad…I'm not even sure if we were drunk or just being stupid, but we got closer, and ended up sleeping together again." He confessed and Lacus gaped at him.

"I know, weird huh? And when we woke up he started asking me, 'What next?' and I didn't know what to say, I was young and bitter, I told him nothing was going to happen and no one would know about us. Then he got really pissed and started yelling at me, saying he was just some one night stand for me and that he hated me for wrecking his life, this was after I made him break up with Luna because she joined Cagalli's gang.

"And then I got mad too and I hit him, so he said that he quit and I…took my gun out and said that once someone joins they don't quit unless they're dead. And ever since then he's been defiant as ever and swears that one day he'll just run out and doesn't care if I shoot him down." Kira said and didn't meet Lacus's eye.

"So how did Athrun find out?" she asked curiously, although still looking stunned that this happened in the first place. "Well, I ended up telling him over a few beers, he guessed something was up and he knows how to make me talk, unfortunately. He told me that I was a jerk for doing that and I had nothing to say. He tried talking to Shinn but it only made it worse because now someone knew.

"Shinn honestly thought that Athrun or I would blackmail him or something, and Yzak kept badgering him, they even got into a few fistfights, which I had to break up of course. Poor Nicol was going crazy and begged me to tell him what was going on, but I couldn't tell him because he'd probably faint or something. I don't know if Athrun told him, but he seems to know that something happened between us." He finished.

"Oh Kira, I'm sorry, but Athrun was right, you shouldn't have done that to Shinn, especially with the state he was in." Lacus told him. "What do you mean?" Kira asked, looking confused and hurt.

"Well, his parents died recently, his foster parents were abusing him-," she began and Kira cut her off, "They what!?" he asked, looking surprised. "He didn't tell you?" she asked and he shook his head. "Well, yes, they were, and Luna was helping him and making him feel happy, and then you made him break up with her because she was the enemy, he almost cried when he told her and ran away. I guess he became bitter after that." She told him and sighed.

"I didn't know." He said quietly. "But Kira, what are you going to do to him, please, you have to tell me," she begged. He looked her in the eyes, "He went against my orders, I told him not to meet Luna so close to the base, and he called me a bastard Lacus, I can't just ignore it because of something that happened in the past." He told her.

"Kira, don't hurt him." She pleaded. "I have to teach him a lesson, Lacus, or he'll only defy me more and jeopardize this whole thing. I'm going to cut him." He told her with the cold, hard voice she regretted to hear.

"No Kira! Don't! The girls probably tortured them both! You don't understand, they know his weakness!" Lacus blurted and covered her mouth with her hand. Kira looked up. "His weakness? What are you talking about Lacus?" he asked her.

"I shouldn't have said that, but trust me, he'll already be hurting when you make the trade, you can't do this to him!" she said and started crying. "Lacus, calm down, he's stronger than you think, ok? But I have to do what I have to do, I can't look weak, and you aren't going to say anything, do you understand me?" he asked her, a menacing look in his eyes.

She nodded and started crying again, getting out of the bed and gathering her clothes. Kira got out too and wrapped his arms around her. "Lacus, don't hate me, please, don't hate me." He suddenly pleaded with her. She saw all the pain in his eyes and hugged him tight.

There was a knock on the door. "Kira? It's me Athrun." Athrun said cautiously from the other side. "What is it?" he asked. "Nicol is getting breakfast ready; he's making enough for the girls, if that's ok with you." Athrun told him. "That's fine." Kira answered.

"You can change in the bathroom, I'll change out here." He told her quietly even though Athrun still heard and smiled to himself. _'It seems he's finally owning up to his feeling about Lacus, now if only he could do the same for Shinn…I hope he's prepared for what's in store for him." _Athrun thought and frowned because he heard what Kira said.

* * *

Shinn walked with Luna to Cagalli's office, dreading going back to Kira. _'What is he going to do this time? I hope he just shoots me and gets it over with, I don't think I can make it through another night of torture, I'm still sore from last night and probably won't even be able to have kids…great, I'm screwed-literally.' _He thought and sighed sadly, staring down at the floor.

"What's wrong Shinn-chan?" Luna asked. "Nothing." He replied and mustered a smile. She smiled back and held his hand. _'He's so strong, even after all of those things we did to him last night, but I wonder if he's strong enough to survive what his Godfather will do to him, I hope Kira won't kill him.' _She thought and squeezed his hand tighter.

He looked up and smiled at her and they stopped in front of Cagalli's office. Luna knocked on the door. "Cagalli? It's me, Luna, with Shinn."Luna said and Cagalli told them to come in.

Luna quickly let go of Shinn's hand as they entered the office and stood in front of her godfather and leader. "I don't want to know what happened last night between you, but I want to know what's going to happen with you two in the future, I can't have you meeting each other at night and sharing romantic evenings, its not going to work. You have a decision to make." Cagalli said and stared at them, waiting for a response.

Shinn had no idea what to say, and he knew Kira would want to know the same thing. "Cagalli, I love Shinn, and I'm pretty sure he loves me, this gang war is only interfering with us all, maybe…maybe we should just end this all, why can't you and Kira make a truce when we trade so that we don't have to go through this?" Luna asked, pleading.

"It doesn't work that way Luna, just because you fell in love doesn't mean I can just make a truce with Kira so you two can get married and have kids, blah, blah, blah. I'll leave it to you two to decide what's going to happen, but if I see you two spending any time together outside the battlefield…you're dead." Cagalli said, although wishing she didn't have to say it.

She wanted to end this too, but her brother was too stubborn to say truce, he'd most likely laugh in her face, this could all be a trap anyway, but oh well, it was best for her friends.

Luna sighed and motioned for Shinn to follow her out. Shinn glanced at Cagalli for a moment, and she saw more than one emotion in those deep eyes. Pain, sadness, foreboding; pleading.

He left with Luna and she sighed, returning to some paperwork.

* * *

"Well look who decided to join us!" Meyrin sneered as her older sister came into the room followed by Shinn. Fllay smiled at him and said, "I can take a few guesses as to what happened last night between you two." and she giggled with Meyrin while Stellar glanced at them and went back to staring out the window.

"I'm sure you can Fllay, so what happened with Dearka? Did you sneak into his room and beg him to take you?" Luna asked sarcastically. Dearka blushed slightly and glanced at Fllay who turned red with either anger or embarrassment.

"No! I don't like him, you know that!" she yelled. "Then mind your own business." Luna snapped and sat down in a chair, beckoning Shinn to sit next to her. He started to go over to her but Fllay clung to his arm.

"Shinn, I'm sorry for anything mean I did to you yesterday, will you forgive me?" she asked with a pout. "Oh please, quit groveling!" Meyrin said with a disgusted look on her face.

Fllay shot her a glare and turned back to Shinn. "Uhhh, sure." He said and she smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you Shinn!" she cooed and skipped back to her chair while humming.

He shrugged and sat down on a chair, glancing at Stellar and wondering how he could make her feel better.

They all sat in silence for a while until Cagalli came out. "Well, we might as well have breakfast first." She said and the girls all got up and went to their duties. Luna and Meyrin prepared the breakfast while the others set the table or got ingredients.

Cagalli sat at the head and she motioned for the boys to take the two empty seats beside her, with them sitting across from each other. "I don't care if you tell Kira what happened last night, in fact, I _want_ you to tell him, cry if you have to, I want him to know I'm serious." She told them.

Shinn glared and Dearka piped up with, "Oh don't worry, we'll be sure to tell him, and I'm also sure that your girls will be returning in the same shape as us, he's not afraid to hit women, isn't that right Shinn?" and turned to Shinn.

Shinn didn't know whether to glare at him or simply call him an idiot, but reluctantly nodded and rolled his eyes when Cagalli wasn't looking.

She glared at Dearka and said, "Then I'll be sure to put you both out of your misery the next time we fight." through clenched teeth.

Dearka gulped and Shinn sighed and looked out of the window, wondering if this was his last day to enjoy the sunshine. Cagalli stared at him from the corner of her eye; she knew what he must be feeling. She had no intention of hurting her girls, but she knew her brother all too well, he wouldn't let them off so easily for their mistakes.

"Breakfast is served!" Luna sang and the girls all sat down, Fllay next to Shinn and Stellar next to Fllay. Luna brought out the food and scowled before seating herself next to Dearka who grinned at Shinn.

They began eating quietly, glancing at each other and making comments on the food to Luna or Meyrin, but all looking forward to the exchange.

* * *

After they ate, Kira asked Yzak what really happened last night with Milly. "Well, she wasn't going to talk, so I thought I'd take action." Yzak said casually and shrugged. Nicol frowned at him and looked to Milly, "How are you feeling this morning?" he asked her softly.

"I'm fine Nicol, you know, I think you're the nicest guy here, at least you didn't try to hurt me." She said and glared at Kira who glared back at her.

Everyone knew that they used to be best friends before all this started, and Athrun felt a sharp pain in his chest; he didn't like being the bad guy sometimes.

"Tch, get over it, that was your choice when you joined the enemy. Getting hurt is like an added bonus." Yzak said and smirked. Kira smirked as well.

Kira liked Yzak for being like that, he didn't care what other people thought (except if they called him mama's boy) and was blunt. He was as cold-hearted and uncaring as Kira was sometimes, although it was natural for him, Kira was still getting used to his dark side. (I love you Yzak! Yzak: Tch, ew.)

Milly's face got red and she glared at him. Lacus inched toward her, glancing at Kira, but he didn't do anything so she went over to her and patted her on the back, whispering some words of comfort.

"Alright boys, it's one o' clock, we need to get ready." Kira said and they all got up and went in different directions. Rey glanced at him before going to his room to get supplies.

Athrun went over to him, "Kira, can I talk to you for a second?" he asked. "Sure." He said and they went to his office, leaving Nicol with the girls.

"Listen Kira, I know you and Shinn have been on-edge lately, but don't you think you should give him a break? I don't want him to keep getting hurt by you, no offense, I just think you should give him another chance, I'll talk to him if you want." Athrun said when they were away from the others.

"Athrun relax, I'm not going to kill him!" Kira told him. "Then what _are _you going to do?" Athrun asked with a raised eyebrow. "Well, I have to do something, if I don't he'll think he can get away with murder-no pun intended." Kira said. Athrun waited expectantly, a shiver of dread creeping up his spine, he hoped that Kira had changed his mind from this morning.

Kira sighed, "I'm going to cut him and take him off the mission, maybe I'll give him something else to do, but this just isn't working out." He finally said and looked away from Athrun's shocked expression.

"Kira he's just a kid!" Athrun whispered furiously. "You can't expect him to be perfect, especially with all the crap you're putting him through!" he continued. "It was his choice to join me, as well as yours, you can quit anytime, but I'll have to kill you first, and Athrun," Kira looked his best friend straight in the eye and put his hands on his shoulders. "I really don't want to kill you or Shinn. I'll give him a better mission, something he's good at and won't mess up, ok?" he said.

Athrun sighed. "Whatever, where are you going to cut him, or should I not ask?" he asked and grimaced at the metal images. Kira frowned and Athrun cleared his head, giving Kira a sheepish look. "On his face, maybe a scar on the cheek will make him remember why he's here, who knows, he might brag about it being a battle wound to the ladies, he'll find a way to cope; he always has." Kira told him and let go.

"Kira," Athrun began. "Athrun, it's better than shooting him or shaming him, ok? I can't look weak, you know that." Kira told him. "Kira everything thinks you're just a cold-hearted bastard though, you've changed too much, we miss the old you." Athrun told him as Kira started walking away.

Kira stopped in his tracks. Athrun was right, Lacus said so herself. _'But how can I change and still be the Godfather of a gang? Yzak will have my head on a silver platter before that happens, no, this is just the way it has to be, maybe Cagalli will give up and let me take over. But Shinn needs to know who he's dealing with.' _Kira thought about saying, but ended up just walking away from his best friend.

Athrun sighed again as he saw Kira go. This wasn't right, yeah Shinn needs to know his place, and yeah cutting him isn't that harsh, considering who they were, but still, something gnawed at Athrun from the inside, telling him this wasn't right.

"Hey Zala, are you just going to stand there forever?" Yzak asked from behind him. Athrun whipped around and shook his head. "Then come on, we need to install the ammo in our guns before we leave, who knows, this might be a trap after all." Yzak told him.

"You really think it could be a trap, Yzak?" Athrun asked as he walked with him to the artillery room where they stored the guns, knives, and ammo. "Maybe, we gotta be prepared anyway." Yzak shrugged and started gathering rifles and loading the ammo.

Athrun did the same in silence, wondering what would happen at 4:00 o' clock that evening.

* * *

**-Author's Note: WOOT! I'M BACK! Ok, so that took longer than I thought, but I had writer's block! So what'd ya think? Was Kira and Shinn's odd relationship totally unexpected? I hope so, tell me if you think it's a good idea or not…I'm still in love with KiraxShinn so bear with me please! But seriously, flames are accepted because I am a pyromaniac!!! Peace out-**


	8. Chapter 8: The Exchange

**Chapter 8: The Exchange**

**Disclaimer:**** Bleh.**

**Kira: She doesn't own Gundam Seed/Destiny or any of us, except for our gang names and the plot twists that she just loves to throw in. This chapter is going to be weird, she tells me…no, that was funny…SAME THING!!! Oh whatever! Yzak laughing is weird! (Starts arguing with me)**

**Shinn: And she definitely doesn't own me! NOBODY OWNS ME!**

**Kira: Shut up hoe. (Continues to argue with me)**

**Shinn: (growls)…darn you…**

* * *

The time finally came for the exchange, and Luna said her farewell to Shinn.

"No matter what happens, I'll still love you." She whispered in his ear as they hugged. He cast a worried glance over her shoulder and hugged her back. She looked into his eyes, waiting for him to say those three words.

"I guess I'll see you later, Luna. Bye." He said and quickly kissed her on the cheek before following Cagalli, Meyrin, Fllay and Dearka out of the door and into the bright sunlight.

Shinn wrinkled his eyes at the bright sun, and took a deep breath of fresh air, wondering just how long he would be able to savor it. _'I really wanted to go to the beach today too, oh well.' _He thought and looked down at his feet as they went to Cagalli's car.

Cagalli got behind the wheel of her red 2007 Mustang convertible and Fllay sat next to her. Shinn and Dearka were handcuffed and shoved into the back and Meyrin got in between them, in case they tried to do anything.

"What's the matter Shinn? You look like you're going to your death!" Meyrin said and laughed evilly as Shinn glared at her. "Oh please, Kira won't kill him! Will he?" Dearka said and looked worriedly at Shinn who shrugged and continued to stare out of the window.

Fllay glanced back at them and then whispered to Cagalli, "Do you really think Kira will kill them?" "Who knows? I don't really care, they're the enemy." Cagalli answered. "True, but this is life or death we're talking about here, would you actually kill one of us if we ever stepped out of line like that?" Fllay asked anxiously.

"No, we need as many of us as we can get; besides, I respect you girls as long as you respect me. It seems Kira will most likely scare his members away or kill them all off. WE might be able to use this to our advantage." Cagalli said.

Fllay gasped. "How could you say something like that?! Shinn is only sixteen! He hasn't graduated high school yet!" she whispered furiously to her, although Shinn could hear what they were saying nonetheless.

He squinted his eyes again, but not at the sun. Dearka tried to stay focused but kept staring at the girls walking along the sidewalk as they drove on.

* * *

"Ok boys, time to go. Athrun, Yzak you come with me." Kira said and Lacus went over to him. "I have to handcuff you until we get there." He said and cuffed her hands behind her back. She nodded and Yzak did the same to Milly.

Kira led Lacus by the arm to his car, a black Nissan 350Z (I love this car!). Athrun rode shotgun and the girls slid in the back with Yzak in the middle, much to his disapproval. "I still don't see why I have to sit in the back. Why can't Mr. Ladies-Man sit with them?" Yzak complained.

Athrun looked back at him with a grin, "Relax, Mr. Grumpy, it'll do you some good. I know you missed your lover." and laughed as Yzak growled and tried to hit Athrun. The girls giggled.

"Ugh, Dearka isn't my lover he's my friend, and Shinn is too high maintenance, he's like a girl." Yzak said and Kira tinted red. "You think so?" he asked.

Yzak gave him a weird look, "Duh, he's too rebellious; you know that, although I would like to put him in his place. Ooo! Can I?" he asked and grinned expectantly (shocking).

"No, I'll do that." Kira said. "What _are _you going to do? Maybe you should put him over your knee and spank him, ha, ha, make him cry like a baby, ha, ha!" Yzak laughed and Kira shook his head.

"I swear Yzak sometimes I think you're on drugs…or steroids." Kira said and Yzak stopped laughing. "So what if I am?" he asked seriously. "On drugs or steroids?" Kira asked and Athrun looked back at Yzak as the girls wondered what the heck was going on.

"So what if I'm on steroids?" Yzak asked. "Dude, steroids make your dick smaller, you know that right?" Athrun asked and Yzak tried to hit him again. "Will you guys quit doing that!? I swear you act like kids!" Kira said and they stopped.

Milly was trying not to laugh but after a while it burst out and her eyes started to water, Lacus was giggling uncontrollably and Kira smirked as Yzak's face grew red. "I'm not on steroids!" he yelled at them and they laughed harder.

"Argh! Kira can I hit them?" Yzak asked and the girls calmed down a little. "No, don't touch them." Kira warned. Yzak mumbled a few things and Athrun smirked at him. _'This is going to be a long night…' _Kira thought and sighed.

* * *

They both arrived at their destination, Rockstar Bar. Cagalli got out of her red Mustang and Kira got out of his black 350Z (My favorite colors are red and black, can you tell?).

"Kira." Cagalli said. "Cagalli." Kira replied. Fllay got out looking sly in a red miniskirt and a pink halter-top with red high-heels. Shinn was pushed out by Meyrin who was wearing a red shirt and tight blue jeans. Cagalli was wearing some tan cargo pants and a green shirt. Dearka was led out after Shinn and Yzak led the girls out.

Shinn didn't meet Kira's eye, who was wearing a black shirt and jeans. Athrun had on a blue shirt to match his hair and some jeans while Yzak had on a gray shirt with a gray vest and some light-blue jeans.

"Hand over the girls and I'll hand over the boys." Cagalli said after everyone was out. Some onlookers quickly got in their cars or rushed into the bar.

"Fine." Kira said and let go of Lacus, she glanced back at him and then walked forward. Yzak pushed Milly forward and she glared back at them all before coming up to Meyrin, next to Dearka who gave her a sheepish look and was also pushed forward.

Shinn wrenched his arm free of Cagalli's grip and walked forward toward Athrun, glancing at Kira from the side, their eyes met and Shinn looked guiltily away. Cagalli stared after him, wondering if it was the last time she'd ever see the boy again.

Athrun got the handcuffs off of Dearka and uncuffed Shinn as well as Cagalli and Meyrin uncuffed the girls.

"Let's hope this doesn't happen again, or it won't be this easy." Kira said darkly and glared at Cagalli and then at Shinn and Dearka. Dearka grinned sheepishly and Yzak shoved him into the car.

Shinn was about to get in after them but Kira stopped him. "You're sitting with me." He said and Shinn shrugged and got in on the passenger side.

Athrun hesitated and glanced back at Cagalli, who also glanced back at him, he grinned at her and she looked away, getting into her car as Lacus and Milly got in the back with Meyrin.

"Athrun," Kira called. Athrun got in beside Yzak and watched as Cagalli sped off. Shinn was rubbing his wrist and right arm that had a few purple bruises and red marks from the night before.

Dearka looked uneasy and cringed at the blow he was expecting. Instead of yelling like he planned, Kira simply drove off, going in the opposite direction of Cagalli.

"So, what happened?" Kira asked, glancing at Dearka and Shinn. Neither of the boys looked willing to go first, so Yzak nudged Dearka. "Ow! Ok, well, I was walking down the street past O'Rielly's and saw Fllay. I asked her if this was her whore corner since she's obviously a whore and she said she was waiting for someone.

"I asked her if it was for a john and she said no and then pulled me into the alleyway and started making out with me! I was stunned, and slightly mortified, so I couldn't move, and then Meyrin grabs me from behind and stuffs me into her car, then blindfolds me, ductapes my mouth, and ties my hands behind my back." Dearka explained with enthusiasm.

"What about you Shinn?" Kira asked and glanced at him. The boy shrugged, "They grabbed me and dragged me to the base." He said dully and left it at that. "Tch, are you that weak not to be able to get out of the grip of two little girls?" Yzak sneered at him.

Shinn glared at him and said, "They kicked me." "Oh please, I still would've-," Yzak started and Shinn growled, "In the nuts you asshole." silencing them. He turned back and glared out of the window.

"Oh." Yzak said after a pause. "What else did they do?" Kira asked, looking at Shinn. Instead, Dearka answered. "Well, they brought us before Cagalli, searched us, and then called you." "I'm guessing they didn't give anything back?" Kira asked him. "Not to me." Dearka replied and Shinn whispered, "Shit." remembering that they took his wallet, and his expensive ring.

Kira looked over at him. "They took my wallet; I had my gun and driver's license in there." Shinn replied. "And something else." Dearka said and grinned. Shinn whirled around and gaped at him.

Kira glanced at him, "What do you mean?" he asked Dearka. Dearka grinned again and Shinn knew what he was about to say, although how he could have known was beyond him.

"Well, I heard the girls talking, Luna and Meyrin to be exact." Dearka began. "Shut up Dearka." Shinn said in a warning tone, sending death glares at him. Dearka ignored him now that he had Yzak and Kira to stand up for him and continued, "Luna said that when she searched Shinn she found something surprising in his wallet."

"Shut up Dearka." Shinn warned again through gritted teeth, but Kira nodded for him to go on. "A ring." Dearka said proudly and Shinn growled furiously as the car screeched to a halt. Shinn was sitting sideways and his right arms slammed forward into the dash. "Ow!" he said and started rubbing it while cursing Dearka to Hell, as well as Kira.

Kira's hands were gripping the wheel so tight they were white. Yzak's jaw dropped and his eyes flew wide, as well as Athrun's. Dearka was grinned like mad and Shinn was fuming…seriously, waves of hatred were flowing from him.

But before Shinn could lunge at the grinning fool Kira turned slowly to Shinn, his hands still on the wheel, his eyes dark and cold. "A what?" he asked darkly. "A ring, it was a gold band with a huge diamond between two rubies." Dearka piped up from the back as Shinn stared out of the windshield.

"And why did you have a ring? Where you planning on proposing to Luna so soon?" Kira asked dangerously. "No, I got it before you made us break up, I kept it in my wallet because I didn't want you to know about, but of course this idiot would just blurt it right out. Freaking bastard." Shinn mumbled, still fuming.

"Shinn, out of the car, now." Kira said. The boy turned and gave him a confused look. "Now, Asuka." Kira said and Shinn ripped his seat belt off and got out of the car. Thankfully they were down a small side-street that no one took.

Athrun gave Kira a warning look but he ignored it and also got out. Yzak sat up to see what would happen and Athrun turned a glare on Dearka. "What?" he asked. "You know you shouldn't have done that, what are you trying to do get the boy killed?" he asked furiously.

"No! HE WAS GOING TO KILL ME!" he yelled. "No Dearka, now _I'm _going to kill you if Kira hurts Shinn." Athrun said through clenched teeth. "Serves the brat right." Yzak grumbled, still trying to see what as happening.

Athrun turned the glare on Yzak and they had a staring match.

* * *

**Outside**

"I can't believe you Shinn." Kira said. "What? It's not like I plan to stay in your little gang for the rest of my life ya know!" Shinn told him. "You were the one who agreed to join in the first place, this isn't just some gym membership you can go to whenever you feel like and quit whenever you like, Shinn, it doesn't work that way!" Kira yelled.

"I don't care." Shinn yelled back. "You are on thin ice, Shinn, thin –freaking- ice!" Kira yelled, jabbing a finger at his chest. Shinn only glared defiantly at him and crossed his arms. "So." He said.

Yes, Shinn Asuka has a death wish, in case you can't tell.

Kira narrowed his eyes. "You seriously want me to kill you, don't you?" he asked incredulously. Shinn's glare wavered and he looked away. "I want out, Kira, you know that." He said weakly. "And you know it doesn't work that way." Kira told him.

Shinn looked up at him with a somewhat pleading look. Kira closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. He promised Lacus and Athrun he wouldn't kill him, he promised himself he wouldn't hurt Shinn too bad, but it was just so _hard_!

"I'm giving you one last chance, Shinn. I'm wiping the slate clean, Yzak will leave you alone and so will I if you do what I say and don't screw up, ok? I…I wanna be friends again, but I can't if you keep acting like this." He said.

Shinn sighed and looked down. "Whatever." He mumbled. Kira looked back and saw the boys arguing with each other in the car. No one was looking. He pulled Shinn to the side, who was startled, and quickly kissed him on the mouth. Shinn gasped and looked confused.

Kira put a finger to the boy's lips and whispered, "Shhh." And Shinn half-smiled at the childishness and also at the wink Kira gave him. Kira smiled as well and then went back to the car, Shinn hesitated and Kira looked back at him expectantly, and Shinn reluctantly followed.

When they got back in the car they were quiet, and the three boys in the back instantly grew silent as well and started asking the question. "What happened?"

"Nothing." Kira replied and drove on toward the base. Athrun cast a worried look at Shinn who turned slightly and half-smiled again, giving him a small wink that Dearka and Yzak didn't notice because they were badgering Kira.

Athrun wasn't sure whether to be relieved or worried, so he sat back and looked out of the window until they got to the base. Kira sighed as the boys got out and then the hard look appeared on his face again.

'_Oh snap, I'm dead.' _Shinn thought as he got out of the car and was ushered into the base. Kira followed behind Yzak who was behind Shinn and closed the door, locking it.

"Well, neither of you are allowed outside unless I say so and until I say so." Kira began and the boys nodded in acknowledgement. Kira hesitated before saying, "Shinn, turn your face to the side." Athrun sighed and knew what was about to happen. Yzak smirked; Dearka wondered what was going on. Nicol and Rey appeared and didn't look too happy when they saw Kira reaching for his knife.

"But Kira," Shinn began and Kira back-handed him and then put the cold blade to Shinn's soft cheek. Shinn closed his eyes as the knife slid down, cutting him and leaving the blood to drip down his neck. Then Kira pushed him down, although Athrun saw he regretted it.

'_That's the same cheek Luna and Stellar slapped me on,' _Shinn thought and felt his cheek, staring at the blood as he heard Kira order, "Take him to his room." Yzak smirked and dragged Shinn by the arms back to his room.

Rey watched as his friend was being dragged and had to look away. Nicol looked at Kira as if he himself got cut. "That was cruel, Kira, he needs to be stitched up to that cut will get infected." He told him. "He _needs_ to be taught a lesson." Kira replied darkly.

"Why do you always pick on him like that? Athrun told me what happened between you two." Nicol said and Kira looked over at Athrun. Kira's gaze hardened even more. "You're all dismissed, and Dearka, if you get captured again the same thing will happen to you, if I even decide to take you back." He said through clenched teeth and then left.

* * *

Shinn was sitting on his bed, looking at a picture he still had of him and Luna, the cut burning but the blood dried up, a tear falling down his cheek as Kira came in and leaned against the door.

Shinn didn't look at him, but his eyes showed betrayal. Kira walked over to him and held out his hand, "Give it to me." He demanded softly (oxymoron's are fun). Shinn regretfully handed over the picture and Kira's eyes softened as he looked at it, but he tore it in tow anyway.

"You're off the operation, Shinn, and I don't want you talking to her, do you understand?" Kira said. "Yes sir." Shinn mumbled, still not looking at him. Kira sighed and sat down next to him on the bed.

Shinn tensed automatically but didn't dare move. Kira moved Shinn's chin so that he was looking at him. "Look, I'm sorry ok?" he asked. Shinn still looked away and didn't say anything.

"Look at me." Kira demanded not so softly. Shinn sniffed and gazed up at him. Kira leaned in and Shinn moved his head away. Kira tried again and Shinn pushed him away, "Quit." He said.

Kira narrowed his eyes and pushed Shinn down and then straddled him. "Shinn, I'm not going to hurt you." He said. "Leave me alone." The boy whined and pouted. "Will you forgive me?" Kira asked.

A tinge of de ja vu struck Shinn as he remembered the last time Kira asked him that…they were in the exact same position then, and Shinn said the exact same thing as before: "No."

Kira pouted this time. "Why not?" he asked. "Why should I? You said that last time and now look where we are, back at the beginning." Shinn replied.

Kira sighed and leaned in. "Please." He begged and put on the puppy dog eyes. "Nope." Shinn said and looked away. "Don't make me hurt you." Kira suddenly said with cold eyes. He pinned Shinn down and waited expectantly.

"I hate you." Shinn said with a defiant glare. "No you don't." Kira said. "Yes I do!" Shinn said. Kira smirked and kissed him again, Shinn squirmed beneath him but it was no use, so he relaxed a little bit.

"See." Kira sneered and Shinn's face flushed. "Get off of me." Shinn said and tried to struggle. "You don't want me to." Kira said with a smile. "Yes I do." Shinn replied again. Then Kira started a trail of kisses down Shinn's neck. "Kira!" Shinn exclaimed and again struggled.

"STOP!" Shinn yelled as Kira went further down. "No, you like it." Kira teased and looked into the boy's eyes. He smiled and said, "Forgive me." Shinn sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Fine." He grumbled.

Kira grinned and let go of Shinn's arms but still kissed him again. "Thank you." He said and smiled cutely. Shinn's face was still red but he couldn't help but smile at Kira's childishness. "Just don't…do that, ok?" Shinn asked and Kira pouted again. "You like Lacus, remember?" Shinn tried to convince him.

"Yeah, but she's in a different gang. And I do have urges…" Kira said and grinned again. "Kira we're both guys, and besides…I-I like Luna, and she said she loved me." Shinn confessed.

Kira sat up and Shinn breathed a sigh of relief. "She did?" he asked. Shinn sat up as well, even though Kira was still straddling him. "Yeah and…um…we…" Shinn stammered. "You what?' Kira asked apprehensively. "We had sex last night." Shinn confessed again.

Kira's eyes widened and he quickly got off of Shinn. "Oh, um, ok, I'm gonna go hang myself now." He said and went towards the door. "What? Kira!" Shinn said and went after him.

"Oh come on, I bet you and Lacus had sex last night too!" Shinn said. Kira shrugged. "Well, yeah, we did." He said. "Then we're even." Shinn said and held out his hand. Kira bit his lip. "Kira, we're even, you like Lacus and I like Luna." Shinn said in a demanding tone.

"But they're the enemy." Kira whined. It was normal for him to act more like himself when he was alone with Shinn, but he was only half-kidding about the insinuation.

"Then why don't you and Cagalli call a truce?" Shinn asked, still waiting for Kira to shake his hand and erase their past. "It doesn't work that way, Shinn." He said. "Cagalli said the same thing, but I'm sure you two can work something out, come on, you're siblings! You can't hate each other forever!" Shinn said.

"True." Kira said. He leaned against the door and ran a hand down Shinn's cheek. "But until then…what will we do? You were the one who asked if we were going to make this…thing…into a relationship, remember?" Kira asked.

"Yes, and then I ended up yelling at you because you'd treat me like your hoe that you can have sex with whenever Lacus isn't around. I'm not your pet, Kira." Shinn said. "But you make a cute pet." Kira said with a pout.

Shinn glared at him with his arms crossed. Kira smiled, "You look cute when you do that too." He said and grinned as Shinn's face turned red again. "Are you sure you're not drunk again Kira Yamato?" Shinn asked and Kira's grin faded into a frown.

"I'm not drunk." He said. "Well something's wrong with you, or are you just gay?" Shinn sneered. "Actually bi-sexual would be the word since I still like Lacus, and what if I am? You'd be too since you _willingly _went to bed with me that last time." Kira said with a smirk.

"You tricked me." Shinn said too quickly as he blushed madly. "No I didn't, you wanted me to take you just like you want me to take you now." Kira said and fought the urge to laugh as Shinn blushed even more. "Sh-shut up no I don't!" Shinn yelled.

Then Kira started tickling him. "Ha, ha, ha, quit! Ha, ha, ha!" Shinn said while laughing and trying to get Kira's hands off. "Are we friends? Will you do what I say? No matter what I say?" Kira asked as he continued to tickle the poor Shinn.

"Ha, ha, stop! Ha, ha!" Shinn said as his stomach started to ache. "Say yes and I'll stop." Kira said. "Fine! Ok! YES!" Shinn shrieked and Kira stopped. "Ow, now my stomach hurts." Shinn said and then gasped. "Hey! You did that on purpose!" he exclaimed and scowled at him.

Kira smiled and opened the door. "Bye Shinn, go get that cut cleaned up." He said. "Wait!" Shinn said and grabbed his arm. Kira looked at him expectantly. "You promise you won't beat me up in my sleep? Or rape me in my sleep for that matter?" Shinn asked.

"Promise, although I want you to sleep with me tonight…not to have sex, I just overheard Yzak telling Dearka about a prank he was going to pull on you tonight." Kira told him. Shinn sighed, "Fine, whatever." and let him go.

"Remember to get the cut stitched up, or Nicol will kill me." Kira called as he walked down the hall. Shinn scowled but reluctantly smiled and rolled his eyes. At least they were friends now, which is better than before.

Shinn went towards Nicol's room to get his cut stitched up, and thought about how he would tell the ladies that it was a battle scar…

* * *

**-Author's Note: Two in one day! Alright! Ok, so Kira is definitely OOC, but oh well!! Did you like it? Is it terrible, gross, needs improvement? Please review and tell me! The next chapter will be what happens when the girls get back to their base and blah, blah, blah, but only if I get reviews! Peace out-**


	9. Chapter 9: Surprising Information

**Chapter 9: Surprising Information**

**Disclaimer:**** Me no ownage……**

**Kira: (opens mouth to say something)**

**Shinn: Ohhhhh no ya don't!!!! (Covers Kira's mouth)**

**Me: …..????**

**Shinn: EWWWWW HE LICKED MY HAND!!!!!**

**Kira: (grins) MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!**

**Me: (slaps them both) ON WITH THE FIC!!!!!**

* * *

Cagalli followed the girls inside their base, heaving a sigh of relief. 

"Well, I'm glad that's over with, are you guys okay? Did they hurt you or torture you?" she asked, suddenly acting worried and concerned like a mother.

"Tch, they tortured _me_, but Heaven forbid they torture _her_!" Milly spat, pointing at Lacus. There was a vicious gleam in her eyes that Cagalli didn't like.

"What do you mean?" she asked and glanced at Lacus who was sitting with her head down, hands folded neatly in her lap.

"I mean Yzak was allowed to do _this _to me!" she shouted and showed them her cut and then continued. "But _Lacus_ got to sleep with the Godfather!" she burst and everyone gasped.

Lacus looked at Cagalli, alarmed and frightened. Cagalli looked stunned, she had a feeling Kira liked the pink-haired singer, but _taking _her like that!? She was beyond horrified.

How could her own dear brother ever _rape _anyone!? (Ha, hahahahahaha…..ha!)

Lacus saw the mortified look on Cagalli's face and instantly knew what she was thinking.

"I went to him willingly, Cagalli, he didn't rape me. And, he was really nice, he told me that he couldn't look weak in front of his gang, and that's why he didn't stop Yzak, Milly." Lacus said quickly and then got an idea that made her stomach churn.

"He's still our Kira, the nice boy; he just can't show it because he doesn't want the boys to question his leadership. But…maybe we can use that to our advantage." She said uneasily.

Cagalli's face brightened. "Lacus, you're a genius, I knew the bad girl inside was just dieing to break free! That's perfect, tell us everything, Lacus." She said and they all sat down on the floor.

Lacus looked nervous and uncomfortable, but the hard look Milly was giving her urged her to be mad at Kira for letting that happen to her. She took a deep breath and put on a hard look as well.

"Well, I certainly know his weaknesses, he practically confessed everything to me last night and this morning." She began and had the girls leaning in.

"He said he loves me and doesn't want to hurt me, and like I said before, he still has a soft side. But that's not the worst of it all." She said and prepared herself.

Cagalli nodded for her to go on as the girls were excited to hear what she had to say.

"He may not have raped me, but he raped someone else. Someone who was in your midst only twenty minutes ago." Lacus said. She was good at keeping up the suspense.

The girls gasped and Luna's eyes went wide. _'Oh God,' _she thought and saw Shinn's painful expression in her mind.

It seemed that the other girls were thinking the same thing. Poor Dearka, nobody loves him…except Milly….maybe.

"Shinn." Cagalli whispered and Lacus nodded. They let out another gaps and they went dreadfully quiet, you could hear a pin drop.

'_No, he couldn't have. Kira? My brother Kira? The same man who had one of the most beautiful smiles and kindest hearts in the world?' _Cagalli thought but then frowned.

'_So he really has gone bitter and cold-hearted. It seems even as enemies we cannot escape the bonds of being Twins.' _

"But listen to what he told me." Lacus added quickly and then retold the story that Kira told her that very morning.

"So…they're gay together!?" Luna squeaked. "Well, I would say bisexual, because then why would he say he loved me? And doesn't Shinn still love you Luna?" Lacus asked.

"They could both be lying, you never know with men." Cagalli said darkly. Lacus looked worried, this isn't what she wanted them to think.

"Look, Kira is confused right now, but I think he's just protective of Shinn. He didn't even know his foster parents were abusing him. I think they're only…friends with benefits. You know, since it's just the guys living together." Lacus told them.

"They could screw whores, besides, we all live together but none of us are lesbians." Cagalli spat again in the dark tone.

"Stellar think Shinn got what he deserved. But Stellar also think we should give Kira a taste of his own medicine." Stellar said out of nowhere.

The girls looked to her and she continued. "Stellar thinks we should blackmail Kira, we could tell…_them_."

Once again the room fell deathly quiet. The "_them" _that Stellar was talking about were the main Mobsters, the guys neither of the tow gangs messed with. The people you called to have someone _taken care of_.

And "they" were: Mwu La Flaga (shocking), Rau Le Crueset (not too shocking), Andy Waltfeld, and Gilbert Durandal. No, they're not all in a gang like the Bloodlust and the Pokitknives, but that's why they're deadly.

The girls and boys, however, decided to call them The Reapers.

"Why would we tell them about Kira being bisexual?" Meyrin asked.

"Because it's against the code for any ORB Mafia Godfather to be gay _or _bisexual, especially with a member of their own." Milly replied.

Cagalli grinned. "Especially if that member was Rey's best friend, the son of Rau Le Crueset." She added and the girls realized how important Lacus's information was.

Lacus couldn't help thinking that she shouldn't have told them anything, but her duty to Cagalli and the gang was more powerful than a simple crush, especially on the enemy.

* * *

**With The Boys**

"Hey Shinn, how are you feeling?" Rey asked the young boy. Shinn looked over at him and smiled. "I'm okay now." He replied. He hadn't been able to spend any time with his best friend in what seemed like years.

Rey cracked a small smile, "That's good." He replied. They were sitting in the "living room" area of the base, and Shinn was staring out the window, longing for Freedom.

"So what else did they do to you, besides kick you? Did they give you those bruises?" Rey asked, concerned. Shinn frowned slightly and looked at his right arm.

"Yeah, they tortured me, trying to get one of us to talk. They tried all sorts of things, twisting my arm, kicking me, interrogating us, even Truth or Dare! But I didn't say anything and I wouldn't let Dearka say anything." Shinn replied nonchalantly.

Rey nodded. They were quiet for a while.

Around the corner Kira's features softened, and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"See what I mean now? He's been through too much, Kira, we should do something." Athrun whispered to him. Kira opened his eyes.

"I don't think he wants us to. But I think I know what type of mission I can have him do." He replied and smirked.

"What's that?" Athrun asked, curious and apprehensive at the same time from the look on Kira's face.

"Our spy." Kira told him and turned to smirk at him.

Athrun took a moment to think of why this felt bad to him.

"Kira, you aren't thinking what I hope you're not thinking, are you?" he asked. The smirk widened.

"He'd be perfect for the part, besides, he prefers the Sniper Rifles anyway. What better way to get his and Dearka's stuff back than to make his little girlfriend do it?" Kira asked.

"Why can't you make Lacus do it?" Athrun asked. "Because she's not that stupid and she probably told Cagalli that we slept together. Besides, from what Shinn tells me, Luna's like a love-sick puppy. She'd believe practically anything he tells her as long as it makes her happy." Kira answered, a plan forming in his mind.

"But I thought you took him off the operation." Athrun said, thoroughly confused. "Yes, but they don't even know about the operation, besides, this'll be different." The Godfather said.

"How?" Athrun asked. He couldn't figure out what Kira was getting at.

"Think Athrun, what type of influence does Shinn have?" Kira asked.

"Well, he certainly gets the girl's attention." Athrun replied. "Exactly!" Kira said.

Athrun still looked lost and confused. Kira sighed.

"Listen, if he can work them all, we can work on taking over their territory without them even knowing or having a chance to fight back. He could get Luna and Stellar jealous, make them fight with each other, and we can sit back and slowly watch their gang fall apart while me, you, and Dearka are working Lacus, Cagalli, Meyrin, and Milly!" Kira explained.

"Ohhhhh!" Athrun said finally. "But wait, wouldn't that be risky? I mean, it would be putting Shinn in the exact same position he was put in yesterday." He replied.

"Not exactly." Kira said, they were walking toward his office.

Athrun was about to question him further but then shook his head. "Whatever you say Kira, as long as no one hurts him I'm fine."

"Good, and so am I. Now, how are you planning on wooing my sister?" Kira asked as he sat down in his favorite chair…it swivels…weeeeeee!

"Well, I was hoping you might have some ideas, she practically hates my guts at the moment, in case you couldn't see from the death glares she sent me." Athrun said glumly.

"She hates me too, but I was hoping Mr. Charming could handle this on his own." Kira said and raised his eyebrows.

Athrun shrugged. "I might have a few ideas, I just don't know if they'll work." He replied and stretched in the chair across from Kira.

Said brunette was swiveling from side to side, using his foot. Athrun waited for him to respond, but Kira was looking at nothing particular, daydreaming again like he sometimes did.

Athrun cleared his throat and looked expectant. Kira finally looked at him and stopped swiveling.

"Oh, right, yes, well, what are they?" he asked. Athrun chuckled.

"Well, if I can catch her at Rockstar Bar I could maybe chat her up, give her a few beers-," Athrun began but was cut off by Kira like he knew he would be.

"She wouldn't let you stand ten feet close to her nonetheless let you buy her beer!" Kira exclaimed. Once again, the childishness that is Kira soared to the top of his chocolate hair, erasing all rational thinking.

"Right, but what if she didn't know it was me?" Athrun asked. This time he was trying to make Kira understand.

Kira swiveled in his chair some more, thinking about it, and finally burst, "How will you disguise yourself? Everyone recognizes you Athrun."

This is when Athrun smirked. "Let me show you something." He said and led Kira to his room.

They went inside and Athrun told Kira to sit on the chair, which he did, and then disappeared in his closet.

Kira sat impatiently, looking around Athrun's room and rummaging through his desk. Five minutes later someone came out of the closet, but it defiantly didn't look like Athrun.

This guy had long brown hair with hazel eyes and was more muscular than Athrun. He looked almost like a Greek god! Or at least that's what Kira thought when eh saw him and fought the urges to scream and laugh at the same time.

"Hello, my name is, Fabio." The man said in an Italian accent and they both burst out laughing. Kira fell on the floor and was rolling around clutching his stomach while Athrun was holding on to the edge of his bed.

"See? She won't recognize me in this." Athrun said and twirled around, he was wearing a white shirt with the buttons undone and brown pants, his skin was darker as well.

"How did you do all this?" Kira asked, coming up to him. "Magic!" he said in the same Italian accent.

Kira smirked and felt the long brown hair. "Oh yes, a wig, some contacts, spray on tanning lotion, and a body suit. Magical indeed." He said sarcastically.

Athrun rolled his eyes. "So, do you think it'll work?" he asked. Kira looked him over and thought for a moment.

"Well, if she doesn't think you're totally cheesy it might just work out." He said after a while.

"Cheesy? I'm every woman's dream!" Athrun replied. "Exactly, and Cagalli isn't just any other woman." Kira told him.

"Okay, I won't say my name is Fabio." Athrun replied and they chuckled. "I was actually planning to use Rosco." He added and Kira raised an eyebrow.

"Rosco?" he asked. Athrun nodded and stuck out his hand. "The name's Rosco, James Rosco." He said like James Bond. That definitely got a laugh out of the boys.

"I think if she doesn't die in tears it'd be perfect." Kira exclaimed after a while. "Thanks." Athrun said.

"Well, I'd better go make sure Shinn isn't getting in trouble." Kira said and they said good night and Kira went into the living room.

He saw Rey and Shinn talking and laughing and looked at the clock. It was getting late and Yzak was whispering stuff to Dearka in the hallway.

Kira frowned and saw Shinn say good night to Rey. When he rounded the corner Kira caught him and smiled. Shinn half-smiled and looked slyly over his shoulder to where Yzak and Dearka were heading toward his room.

'_At least he's not lying.' _He thought and allowed Kira to lead him to his room.

"Good night Shinn, and listen, I'm sorry about, that." He said and brushed his fingers gingerly over Shinn's cut.

"It's okay, I know I deserved it." Shinn replied as he lay next to Kira.

Kira frowned and continued to run his finger over the cut. Shinn decided against protesting and simply closed his eyes.

Kira cracked a small smile and let his finger trace Shinn's jaw line. "You really do have a handsome face, I'm sorry I had to ruin it." He murmured.

Shinn's breath hitched but he didn't say anything. Kira turned off the lamp beside him and lay down next to Shinn; still stroking his face, and then down his neck, onto his chest…

* * *

**-Author's Note: Friends with Benefits….yes, Kira has many of those I can assure you, but only one in this fic, because I can't bring myself to make him into a bigger man-hoe than he already is. There's a theme to my stories, if you squint your eyes and look **_**real **_**close. Well, please tell me what you think, if you hate it, I'll redo it, if you love it, you'll get a nonexistent cookie! And I realize that these characters are slightly OOC, and I'm okay with that…for the moment. Peace!-**


	10. Chapter 10: Glitch In The System

**Chapter 10: Glitch In The System**

**Disclaimer:**** Me no own…..**

* * *

Shinn woke up again to someone sleeping next to him. _'I could get used to this.' _He thought and smirked, running his hand through Kira's chocolate brown hair. He frowned slightly and sighed, flipping over on his back and staring at the ceiling.

'_What are we gonna do? Ugh this is such a mess!' _he thought and closed his eyes tightly. He wasn't really sure how he felt for his Godfather and friend, there was definitely attraction, but Shinn didn't _love _the other boy. He sighed and softened his features.

Then he felt a finger on his cheek and sat still as Kira traced Shinn's lips with the tip of his finger, goosebumps appeared on Shinn's arms as he imagined all the things Kira could do to him if he really wanted…

"Relax Shinn." Kira's soft voice said. Shinn's breathing returned to normal but the boy still didn't open his eyes. Kira ran his hand over the boy's chest and then down his leg, smirking.

Shinn groaned and turned away from him. Kira bit his lip, trying to control himself. "Shinn." He said.

Shinn opened his eyes but didn't respond, he had a forlorn look, a broken look. He curled up into a ball and remained facing the wall.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Kira asked with a slight frown. He rubbed Shinn's arm, who closed his eyes again and relaxed slightly.

Kira scooted closer and put his arm around Shinn and put a leg between the other's legs. Shinn gasped, Kira smirked.

"What's wrong?" Kira asked seductively as he moved his lips across Shinn's arm sensually. Shinn tensed again, whimpering quietly. Kira rolled him over and took his right arm and started kissing it.

Shinn bit his lip and tensed even more when Kira got to his shoulder and then started going down again, until he reached Shinn's fingers, of which he put in his mouth (like how you lick your fingers after a good meal…).

Shinn gasped and quickly pulled his arm back, looking at Kira fearfully. Kira frowned and straddled him again, taking his arm and licking his fingers again. Shinn gave him a pleading look while shuddering and he rolled his eyes.

"Okay, I'll be good." Kira said and lay back down. Shinn sat up and eyed him warily, then the door. "I should go." He said and put one leg over Kira to get off the bed. Kira grabbed his leg and Shinn froze as he was pulled back down to the bed roughly.

Kira kept his hand on Shinn's leg, dangerously close, as the younger boy's breathing started to escalate. Kira smirked again and kissed Shinn passionately, Shinn tried to push him away while also trying to control himself, knowing what Kira was doing.

When Kira finally stopped Shinn said, "Stop teasing me." in a small voice. "Why? I like teasing you." Kira replied and grinned.

Shinn gave him the pleading look again as Kira looked away and rubbed his leg. "Kira," Shinn warned still in a small voice.

"Do you wanna?" Kira suddenly asked, looking into Shinn's eyes. He could see the intensity and desire, but Shinn shook his head.

"W-we can't." he said and gulped. "Yes we can, I'm the Godfather, remember? I can do whatever I want, when I want." Kira said and started rubbing again. Shinn's eyes fluttered closed as he groaned again, then he moved Kira's hand and sat up.

"You can't do me." He said as his face grew red, he tried again to leave the bed but Kira sat up and held him in place.

"Why not?" he whined and pouted. "Because, I….just…just because, okay? Now let me go." Shinn replied, not meeting Kira's eyes. He didn't let go. "Because what?" he asked quietly.

Shinn stopped struggling and closed his eyes, trying to compose himself. "Because I don't want to, that's why." He lied. "Liar, I can tell you want it, what's stopping you? Athrun and Nicol already know, and I don't really care who else knows, come on, Shinn, just this once, then I'll leave you alone, I promise." Kira pleaded.

"No you won't Kira." Shinn said and sighed. He nuzzled Kira's neck with his eyes closed and hugged him tightly.

Kira hugged him back and nuzzled his cheek. "I'm not letting you go until…I mean, I want you." Kira said and pulled Shinn away to look into his eyes.

Just then there was a knock on the door. Shinn smirked but Kira kissed him passionately again, trying to keep his hands on Shinn's face. Shinn took the opportunity to tease Kira, knowing that it would kill him.

Kira moaned and the person knocked again, louder this time.

"Kira, we have a visitor, stop messing with Shinn and get out here!" Athrun whispered furiously. Kira stopped kissing Shinn and a stern look appeared on his face.

"Later, I will have you, no matter what." He said and Shinn half-smiled and nodded, biting his lip as Kira got up and went to the door. The younger boy smirked and stretched wide, moaning slightly while smirking and watching Kira glare at him for tormenting him like this.

Shinn stuck his tongue out at him before he opened the door to an anxious Athrun.

"What's going on?" Kira asked and ignored Shinn. "Rau Le Creuset is here." Athrun said. Kira froze and so did Shinn. _'Oh crap.' _They both thought.

"Shinn, get to your room, now!" Kira ordered and the boy ran as fast as he could to his room trying not to be noticed. Thankfully Rau was preoccupied with his son, Rey, telling him about the events.

"I'll be right out." Kira told Athrun who looked worried. Athrun nodded and tried to steady his breathing as he leaned against the wall while Kira tried to look presentable. He washed his face and brushed his teeth and tried to fix his hair while changing into a different pair of clothing.

When he came out of his room he nodded to Athrun and came into the living room, Shinn was nowhere in sight.

"Rau, what a surprise. I didn't know you were coming." Kira greeted him. Yzak and Dearka were glancing toward each other apprehensively, Nicol looked as worried as Athrun, and Rey looked pleased.

"Well, I just heard some rumors and wanted to speak with you about them." Rau said, giving Kira a knowing look. Kira nodded and then led him to his office.

"Oh, and can you have Shinn Asuka join us, Rey has told me about him, says he's a good friend." Rau said casually, slipping Kira that same look. Kira nodded slowly and then went to fetch Shinn.

When he opened the door Shinn was reading a Gun magazine. He had already changed his outfit and fixed himself up a bit. "Rau wants to see us." Kira said. Shinn looked up and eyed him warily as he set his magazine down. Kira wouldn't meet his gaze.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Kira shook his head and led him to his office where Rau was waiting, seated in a chair. Kira took his place behind the desk and Shinn stood.

"So, Kira, Rey told me about the latest event in the Bloodlust vs. Pokitknives war. I'm sorry to hear about your injuries, Shinn." Rau said, not even looking at Shinn as he kept his eyes on Kira.

Shinn nodded and glanced at his arm, still bruised and hurting. Kira remained quiet and Shinn could sense the tension in the air. Kira's eyes were dark and cold, and his body was unusually tense.

"I'll get to the point. There have been rumors, Kira, about how you treat some of your members." Rau said and glanced at Shinn who looked slightly confused.

Kira also glanced at Shinn but again said nothing.

"Cagalli called me; she said that Lacus gave her some information about you that you apparently confessed to her. This confuses me, why would you give the enemy information about you that could possibly get you killed?" Rau asked, although it sounded more like a rhetorical question.

His eyes bore into Kira's, and Shinn realized something, something that sent a shiver down his spine and made all the blood rush out of his face.

Kira was scared of Rau Le Creuset, not in a respectful or terrorized way, but as if Rau hurt him, he looked the same as Shinn looked that one time…

"She tricked me, sir, I was under the impression that she was planning on quitting." Kira said, Rau's eyes narrowed.

"Is that so? But what about Shinn here? She said something about you hurting him, or even…" Rau said and let it hang in the air. Shinn froze, his eyes staring at the floor; Kira glanced at him and then went back to Rau.

"Of course she would, and of course she's lying." Kira replied and Shinn restrained the urge to gasp at the lie. He understood that they were treading in dangerous waters, and didn't want to screw up and get them both killed.

The Mafia was a dangerous world, full of lies, betrayals, murder, rape…

"Of course. But still, it just seems…odd, don't you think? And, funny really, she said that Shinn confessed to having been hurt by you." Rau said and chuckled, although still giving Kira that look.

Shinn's eyes widened slightly and he felt Kira's glare on him before he turned back to Rau.

"I don't believe it, besides, they were torturing him, I bet he only told them that to throw them off guard. He's very smart, Rau, he knows what he's doing." Kira said, returning Rau's look with his own..

Shinn was slightly surprised that Kira was complimenting him when he could tell he was displeased with him.

"Ah, I see, yes, is that true Shinn?" Rau said and finally looked at Shinn who snapped out of his daze and nodded.

Rau smiled, but it was a sinister smile as he turned back to Kira who twitched slightly.

"You know, I really don't like being lied to, Kira, especially to my face. You should know that, and you should know what happens when I'm lied to." Rau said.

Kira's eyes were looking away; Shinn caught a glimpse of fear flash through them as Kira tried to remain calm.

He simply nodded, not trusting his voice.

"Then tell me the truth." Rau replied quietly. Shinn suddenly felt like he was interrupting something, you know when two people are speaking about something personal, but he didn't want to leave Kira, he had a bad feeling about what would happen if he did.

"I've been telling you the truth." Kira said evenly. Rau stared at him for a moment. Then he stood up and went over to Shinn, who glanced at Kira who closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Rau turned Shinn's face to the side to see the cut. "Who did this to you?" he asked softly. "Kira." Shinn said, thankful that his voice didn't give out. "Because you disobeyed orders?" Rau asked again in that soft tone, it made Shinn's hair stand up.

"Yes." He answered again evenly. Then Rau leaned in and whispered, "Did he rape you, Shinn? Hmm?"

Shinn gasped and took a step back, shaking his head while trying to steady his breathing.

"I think you're lying, I think you're both lying." Rau said. He looked at Kira who turned away.

"We're not lying, sir." Shinn breathed. Kira looked up at him while Rau smirked and then walked around behind the desk. Kira stood up quickly and Rau grabbed him.

Shinn turned just in time to see the fear again before Rau actually _kissed _Kira!!

Shinn gasped and tried to think of what to do. Here was a man that could kill him in an instant, _kissing his Godfather_.

'_Kira…' _he thought as he understood. It was then that Shinn Asuka realized what had turned Kira, what had made him so bitter and cold, it wasn't because of his sister, no, it was because of Rau, because of what he did.

Shinn snapped his head up, his eyes looked different as he lunged forward and grabbed Rau, yanking him off Kira who gasped for breath and looked utterly stunned.

Shinn had a gun to Rau's head in seconds and a cold look was in his eyes. Rau smirked again and said, "I thought so. My, my, quite protective, aren't we?"

Shinn cocked the gun, glaring at the man with pure hatred as Kira still stood stunned. Shinn glanced to Kira, waiting for the order.

Kira shook his head and said, "Don't Shinn, put the gun down."

"You never could kill me, Kira, because you're not a killer, you're not fit for this role, you're too _good_." Rau sneered.

Shinn shoved the gun closer to Rau's temple. "Shut up, you don't know him, and if it weren't for him I'd kill you." He growled.

Kira stared at him in confusion, not used to this dangerous side of Shinn, the side that had no conscience, no remorse; full of anger.

"Oh really? You think so?" Rau asked and cocked his own gun, pointing at Shinn's gut.

Suddenly, Kira was between them. He lowered Shinn's hand and snatched the gun out of Rau's. The cold look was back.

"Go." He said through clenched teeth. "And never come back or I _will _kill you with my bare hands." He snarled, looking deadly.

He still held Shinn's arm as they both glared at him while he left. "Oh, and by the way, Kira, you don't have bad taste, after all. This one is quite attractive." Rau said and laughed madly as Kira growled low and glared at him.

"Kira, you're squeezing my arm." Shinn said through clenched teeth and Kira let go, still glaring.

Shinn grabbed his face and made him look at him. They glared at each other for a moment, before Kira sighed and closed his eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Shinn asked darkly. "Why should I?" Kira replied, looking away. "Look at me! I had every right to know after what you did to me!" Shinn snarled fiercely.

Kira looked at him coldly. "Don't give me that look!" Shinn spat, furious. Kira got out of Shinn's hold and uncocked Rau's gun and set it on the table and then reached for Shinn's gun, but the boy yanked his arm away and pointed it at Kira instead.

"Give me the gun, Shinn." Kira asked in a soft, defeated voice. Shinn was pointing the gun at his head, breathing heavily and looking beyond enraged.

Kira took Shinn's hands in his and slid the gun out, uncocked it, and set it on the table next to Rau's. Shinn still looked angry as he started to walk away from him.

He grabbed his wrist and dragged him closer to him, too close. Shinn's features softened slightly as he cupped Kira's cheek.

"Let me kill him for you." He whispered. "No, I have to do it." Kira replied, not looking at him again. "Will you?" Shinn asked. Kira flinched.

"He was right, you know, you're not fit for this role Kira." Shinn added. The words stung and he knew it.

Shinn smiled and kissed his cheek, then whispered, "I'd never hurt you like that, and I know you never meant to. You could never really hurt a person, could you? Could never be a true murderer. You're too pure Kira, purer than me; you don't deserve what he did to you. I'm glad you're not like that Kira, I'm glad you're not like me."

He pulled away and grabbed the guns off the table before walking toward the door.

"Don't Shinn. You don't have to be like that. You don't have to stay; you can leave if you want." Kira said, his voice stronger than a moment ago.

"I'll never leave you Kira." Shinn said and looked back with a smirk. "You need me." He said and then left.

Kira stood there, trying to remain calm, trying to get back the coldness, reaching for the darkness inside him…

* * *

Shinn got his sniper rifle and walked toward the door. "Hey, what's going on, where do you think you're going?" Yzak asked and got in his way.

"Step aside Yzak." Shinn said darkly. "Tch, no. You're not going anywhere." He said and cracked his knuckles.

Shinn glared into his eyes and Yzak noticed how different they looked. "What's up with your eyes?" he asked.

Rey appeared at Shinn's side. "Shinn, what's going on?" he asked.

"Ask your leader." Shinn told him and pushed Yzak out of his way and yanked open the door.

Yzak glared and got up, rushing toward the door, but Rey held him back. "He's in SEED mode, you can't stop him. Something's wrong." he said.

Yzak stopped struggling, they all knew that Shinn rarely went into SEED mode unless he was about to kill someone. Athrun saw them and wrung his hands, even more worried than before.

"What's going on?" he asked them. "Shinn left after my father. He was in SEED mode." Rey told him and looked to him. "Go make sure Kira is okay." He told him.

Athrun ran down the hall toward Kira's office as they heard Shinn's motorcycle speed off…

In the distance, a gunshot was fired, a woman screamed, and Lacus Clyne gasped at the scene before her.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Um, just tell me to rewrite it. I know it's terrible.-**


	11. Chapter 11: Darkness Becomes You

**Chapter 11: Darkness Becomes You**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own the Gundam characters but the names of the gangs are of my imagination, as well as the –plot- (or lack thereof).**

* * *

Lacus Clyne was stunned at the sight before her. She was just walking down the street when suddenly she saw a black car drive by, she knew who it was, the person she was supposed to meet, he had paged her the moment he got into his car, and she was already out anyway.

She waited by the small shop and saw him get out; looking oddly pleased, excited even, and hoped that something bad didn't just happen.

She had no idea that not only did something bad _already_ happen, but something bad was _going_ to happen.

She heard the sound of a motorcycle and turned to see Shinn on his red Ninja with a Sniper Rifle…

She gasped and turned to Rau Le Creuset just in time to see the shock in his eyes before his head was completely blown off by the bullet of the Rifle. Shinn turned to look at her and turned his bike to come towards her.

She screamed and ran as fast as she could, but he caught up to her, grabbed her, and then sat her behind him.

"Calm down, we need to talk, there's something you need to know." he told her and she held onto him tightly. The only other time she ever rode a motorcycle was when she was on a date with Kira a long, long time ago…

* * *

They drove to the opposite side of town and stopped at the beach. Shinn led Lacus down to a deserted part without anyone around for a good mile or so. He sat her down and sat down next to her.

He sat staring out into the ocean, not saying a word for a while. She didn't dare speak, she was beyond frightened, but she understood that Shinn would tell her what was going on in his own time.

Finally he sighed and turned to look at her, she saw fresh tears glistening on his cheeks. She gasped, she'd never seen him cry before, or even kill someone before. _'What's going on?' _she thought to herself.

"First of all, I want to know why you went to Rau. Kira told you something that should never have been repeated to anyone, something personal between me and him that he decided to confide in you and you betrayed him. Why?" he asked sharply, glaring at her.

"Shinn, I never meant to tell Cagalli, but this war has to end, and the other girls were saying that if we told one of the Reapers then we could finally win…I had no choice, I would have been a traitor to my friends, my sisters," she said.

"Tch, bull Lacus. You honestly thought that having Rau kill Kira would end this? Are you so willing to let him die? Do you care for him at all!?" he shouted at her.

She flinched and leaned away from him. A tear slid down her face.

"I wasn't really sure what would happen…no, I knew what would happen, but that was Cagalli's decision." Shinn glared at her.

"Fine! Shinn, I had no choice, Yzak cut Milly and she was angry that I wasn't treated the same, she's messed up, Shinn, we all are! I slipped and said that Kira didn't like to look weak in front of the guys and then they were all badgering me for more information! I didn't want to, I really didn't, but I had to help them somehow!" she was crying now.

"Lacus, you have no idea what you've done." Shinn told her. They looked at each other for a moment and then she covered her face with her hands. Shinn saw her despair, but it was nothing to what he was feeling.

"I'm sorry; this is just so messed up! I wish that none of this ever happened! I wish we could all be friends again! It's all Kira's fault, you know it is, don't deny it! He was the one who took the Godfather position and made Cagalli do the same, he was the one that refused to call it a truce and continued to fight his won sister!" she was yelling now.

Shinn stood up, angered beyond belief, he was trying to stay calm but it was difficult, very difficult.

"Lacus, that's not even true! You don't even know what happened to him! I didn't even know until only twenty minutes ago!" he yelled back at her.

"Well I want to know! I always wanted to know but it was the one thing he never told me! He told me what he did to you but he never told me what changed him!" she shouted, tears running down her face as she looked up at him with a crazed expression.

"He never told anyone, because he was afraid, this is worse than what he did to me, this is what happened to him. He was too ashamed to tell even me! If anyone had the right to know besides Cagalli it was me!" Shinn yelled.

"What!? What happened Shinn!? What happened to him and what happened with Rau and why did you drag me here!?" Lacus screamed and stood.

"To tell you the truth, to tell you what Kira could never tell you. Sit back down." He ordered and she did so and he sat back down next to her.

"I don't exactly know when this happened, or even why, but Rau…Rau was the one that changed Kira. He…he raped him, or at least tortured him from what I saw earlier today." Shinn confessed.

She gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

"When Rau came and sat in Kira's office with me, I saw how tense Kira looked, and Rau asked him some questions about how he treats me, basically, and he asked me if Kira raped me, but I told him no because I knew that he would kill him. And then Rau accused us of lying. Kira looked so…so scared, in that moment, so afraid, like he was remembering some painful memory. Then Rau…he went up to Kira and kissed him.

"Kira just stood there, too shocked to even move, so I yanked Rau off of him and put a gun to his head, but Kira told me not to kill him. 'You never could kill me, Kira, because you're not a killer, you're not fit for this role, you're too _good_.' Rau had said. Then Kira ordered him out. I saw the pain and brokenness in Kira's eyes, I understood what happened and I left to take revenge." Shinn told her.

"Oh my…" Lacus whispered. Her eyes were wide and fearful, yet somehow knowing. I guess it was the way he looked when he told her about Shinn, the way his eyes betrayed his emotions, like he was betraying himself even. Somehow she knew something like this had happened, how else could someone so innocent and pure, so kind and gentle, could turn into a cold monster, a careless murderer?

"But why did you take revenge? I mean, I understand that what Rau did was wrong, but why did you kill him like that?" Lacus asked him, although realizing the answer even before he said it.

"I care for him. Call me crazy, a glutton for punishment, but I care for him just like you care for him, and I can't understand why you would put him in harm's way like that." He said.

She looked away from him. "I was in a no-win situation Shinn, either betray my gang, my friends, or betray Kira. I thought he loved you, that's why I did it, Shinn, I thought he wanted you to be his lover, I thought he didn't really love me, that he was lying…" she confessed, surprising herself.

He sat so still she thought he turned to stone, his eyes were huge as he stared across the ocean, he was barely breathing, like he was frozen.

"Shinn?" she said quietly. He shook his head and chuckled. "That's funny Lacus, but not true, he could never love me like he loves you. He wasn't lying about that." He said and started laughing, closing his eyes and throwing his head back.

She gave him a weird look, as if he was crazy. "Shinn, it's not really that funny." She told him and he quieted down a bit, although still chuckling.

"So what are we going to do? You just killed one of the Reapers, one of the Bosses, what if the others come looking for you?" Lacus asked.

"Mwu La Flaga should know what happened, him and Kira are close, he would have told him, at least, or Mwu would have found out. And I doubt they'd come after me, if so I'll just tell them the truth and make sure they don't kill Kira. I don't care if I die, but if they go for Kira then I'll take out as many as I can with me." Shinn told her evenly, as if discussing the weather.

"Shinn," she said. "Don't worry Lacus, I'll return you to your gang, but promise me something," he said and turned to her.

"What?" she asked, getting ready for what he was going to say.

"I want you to tell Cagalli, and _only _Cagalli, what I told you, and tell her that if she tells even one of the other girls that none of them will wake up tomorrow, including you. Do you understand me?" he said sternly and she knew that he would do it, he would gut every last one of the girls with no remorse, it was in his eyes, those blood-red eyes…

"Yes, I'll tell her and tell her not to tell anyone, she probably won't anyway, she'll be too shocked to believe it." Lacus said.

"She'd better believe it, or Kira will kill me, he'll probably kill me anyway." Shinn mused.

"Will you go back?" Lacus asked quietly as they got up. He looked to the ocean again. "Yes, but I might not be able to stay. Hey, when I drop you off could you bring me and Dearka's stuff?" he said, not asking, but demanding in a polite way.

She saw the unspoken threat in his eyes and nodded. Then they got on his motorcycle and sped off toward the Pokitknives base.

* * *

"Kira? Are you okay? What happened? And where did Shinn go?" Athrun asked when he poked his head into Kira's office. Kira was sitting there with his hands over his face, trying to steady his breathing.

"Come in and close the door Athrun." Kira said weakly. Athrun did as he was told and sat down in the chair that Rau sat in. He waited as Kira took a shuddered breath and then looked at him.

"Athrun," he began and bit his lip, not knowing how he could tell his best friend what happened to him.

"What is it Kira? You can tell me anything." Athrun said and leaned closer to him. Kira nodded and looked to him. Athrun saw the pain and shame in his eyes.

"Rau raped me. Before I took over Bloodlust. It was when I didn't want to do it and neither did Cagalli, when we both refused to carry on the legacy. Rau came to me, trying to convince me to do it," Kira's voice was weak and chocked, Athrun's eyes were wide but he didn't say anything.

"He got mad at me and said, 'Then I'll make you take over Bloodlust! If I have to control Bloodlust through you then I will!' After that I had no choice, but I didn't let him control you guys through me, I didn't let him take over the gang with me as his puppet. I pretended to become cruel, as an affect on what he did to me. I realized too late that I had stopped pretending a long time ago." Kira said quietly.

"So now you know everything. It was so easy to rape Shinn even though I hated the feeling myself. He was like my punching bag, in a sense, I could take out all my anger on him, everyone could take their anger out on him, and he would just take it. Yeah he'd fight back, but he knew when he was defeated. That's why I feel so horrible. I did to him what Rau did to me. I made him feel the pain that I felt. His family is dead and his foster parents beat up on him, which was actually one of the reasons why I insisted he join, so that he could get away from them.

"But I still hurt him. He went off to kill Rau, he was angry I didn't tell him what happened and actually went to kill Rau because he knew I couldn't, I could never kill him. But he could. And now I don't know what to do." Kira explained.

They sat in silence as Athrun took it all in, trying to think of something to say.

"This is so messed up." Athrun said. "Tell me about it." Kira grunted.

"I'm not mad at you, and I don't hate you or think you're disgusting, nothing like that. And if you don't want me to pity you I won't." Athrun said. Kira shook his head.

"But I'm still your best friend, and I'm sorry about what happened to you, if there's anything I can do, I'll do it. Shinn isn't the only one that cares for you. We all have your back, that's why we're here." Athrun told him.

Kira looked up, surprised. Athrun smiled and Kira smiled as well.

"There's my Kira. I've always loved your smile." Athrun said and they chuckled.

"Thanks Athrun, I don't know what I'd do without you." Kira said and stood up.

"Do you think he'll come back? Did he say?" Athrun asked. Kira frowned. "He said he'd never leave me. So I'm assuming he's coming back, I just don't know when." Kira said.

They walked out to see and impatient Yzak, a nervous Nicol, an angry Rey, and a concerned Dearka. They all stood up and looked to Kira when they saw him.

"What the –freak- is going on!?" Yzak bellowed. Kira narrowed his eyes and Yzak backed down a bit. Oh yeah, he still got it. That's my man!!!! Sorry.

"Everything's fine. Don't worry about it." Kira said calmly.

"Screw that! No offense but what happened in there? What did Rau want and why did Shinn just leave while in SEED mode!?" Yzak said still loudly.

"Rau isn't a problem anymore." They heard a familiar voice say at the doorway. They turned to see Shinn holding his rifle and some guns and knives (which he threw to Dearka).

"What do you mean?" Rey asked, glaring at his friend. "I mean your father is dead, hate me if you want, I don't care." Shinn told him hotly.

Rey continued looking angry for a second, and everyone looked from him to Shinn to see what would happen.

"Hn, I never really liked him anyway, he was a pain." Rey said and smiled at Shinn who nodded and then turned to Kira, suddenly looking awkward.

Yzak stared at him incredulously for a moment. "Dude, you mean you actually killed someone!?" he burst. Shinn nodded, giving him an odd look. "Sweet! Way to go Shinn! You know, I think this means that we can't pick on him anymore, you never know when he might snap and blow a head off, or two..." Dearka said.

Shinn smirked, Nicol fainted. They all looked to him and tried to restrain themselves from laughing.

"Well, uh, back to normal then. Shinn come with me, Athrun, uh, take care of Nicol please." Kira said and glanced guiltily at the green-haired boy who was the most innocent out of them all. He slightly envied him…

They all nodded and continued whatever they were doing, a.k.a Dearka going back to his Playboy magazine while Yzak grunted and started asking him why he was reading that crap and Rey sitting down, lost in his thoughts.

Athrun carried Nicol to his room and let him rest and then he went into the kitchen to get some beers and make some lunch for the gang of boys. Kira took Shinn to his room.

"So you killed Rau? What took you so long?" Kira asked back to business. "I talked with Lacus." Shinn said and Kira looked surprised but quickly composed his features and said, "About what?"

"I told her what happened. I told her to tell Cagalli and only Cagalli about it. I also made her get me and Dearka's stuff back. She really didn't mean to hurt you, Kira, and nether did Lacus, when she hears about what happened. Are you mad at me?" Shinn asked looking neutral.

"I could never be mad at you Shinn. I guess that's fair. I was never going to tell anyone, but Cagalli deserves to know." he said and sat down on his bed, staring out of his window.

Shinn remained standing, looking relieved but still neutral.

"Come here." Kira ordered quietly. Shinn sat down on his bed and Kira pulled him against his chest, making him lay sideways on top of him. Shinn adjusted his position and closed his eyes, hugging Kira.

"Thank you." Kira said quietly, almost whispering. He wouldn't meet Shinn's gaze.

"You're welcome." Shinn replied, smiling.

* * *

**-Author's Note: And that's all folks! No this is definitely not the end of this story, but the beginning, really, of what's to come. What will Cagalli do about this new information, or did she already know? Throw in some guesses why don'tcha because I have no idea! So if you want me to update semi-soon then let me know what you think, suggestions of any kind are welcome, I'll put anything in this fic, Hahaha. Peace out-**


	12. Chapter 12: James Rosco

**Chapter 12: James Rosco**

**Disclaimer:**** Uhhh, me no own.**

**Shinn: NOONEOWNSME!!!! Ha! In your face Yamato!!! WAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!**

**Kira: I never should've given him that Smirnoff…**

**Shinn: (rolling around and laughing) SOMEONE $# ME!**

**Everyone: O.O;;;;;;;**

**Kira: (sweat drop)….oh boy…**

_Okay, I'm sorry for not updating in a really long time; I've just been really busy. Ugh, school, the Torture Building of DOOM, and not the cool kind of DOOM either…_

* * *

Athrun woke up feeling a bit happier than before; as if some weight had been lifted. He grinned broadly as he rummaged through his closet and saw the disguise he planned on using to trick Cagalli.

He resisted the urge to laugh and took it out, an idea popped in his head. Now would be the perfect time to take action, when the girls are so confused and frantic about the recent events; it was the perfect time to catch them with their guard down.

He laid it on his bed and took a nice long shower before going to talk with Kira. However, he stopped by Nicol's room to make sure he was okay first.

"Nicol? It's me, Athrun, are you alright?" he said as he poked his head inside. Nicol was listening to some Mozart and had his eyes closed. Athrun knew that it was his way of dealing with something that would otherwise break someone else.

He went over and lightly tapped him on the leg. Nicol's eyes shot open but he relaxed when he saw it was Athrun. He took off his headphones and stopped the music.

"What is it, Athrun?" he asked politely.

"Are you alright? I know yesterday was…weird, to say the least, but I just wanna make sure you're not still freaking out." Athrun replied.

"I'm fine now, Athrun. I guess I was just…caught off guard. How are things going with Shinn and Kira?" he asked cautiously.

"I'm assuming well, I haven't been in to see them yet. I wonder what will happen now…" Athrun said with a curious look.

"Hopefully nothing too crazy for a while, I think I've had enough skeletons thrown at me from the Gang Closet." Nicol remarked and Athrun chuckled.

A lot of secrets have been revealed sine the beginning of the Gang Wars, and so Nicol dubbed them Skeletons from the Gang Closet; with everything that occurred, he was sure that there weren't many secret left to hide.

"Good, I'm glad. This has been real crazy. I'll make breakfast in a little while after I talk with Kira about something." Athrun said. Nicol nodded and returned to his music and Athrun walked down the hall.

Before he could get there, however, he caught up with Yzak and Dearka talking with each other; or actually, Yzak yelling at Dearka while the blonde ignored him as usual.

"Jeez Yzak, do you ever shut-up?" Athrun teased. Yzak turned a furious glare his way. "Don't you start Zala! I may not be able to hurt Shinn without getting my ass handed to me by Kira, but I sure as Hell won't hesitate from wiping that smirk off your face!" he yelled.

"I'm actually surprised you admitted that, Yzak." Athrun commented and Yzak's face went redder than it was. "Damn you Zala!" he yelled and lunged toward him.

Dearka sighed and flipped a page in his Playboy magazine as Athrun laughed and stepped aside. Yzak came at him again and again Athrun evaded as if dancing, laughing the whole time.

"I'd really like to continue this, Yzak, but I have to discuss something with Kira." The bluenette finally said and side-stepped him again.

Yzak growled but smirked. "That's right Zala, just walk away, you know I could kick your ass!" he called after him.

"In your dreams Yzak!" Athrun called back.

"One of these days he's not going to just laugh and dodge your punches, you know." Dearka commented.

"Yeah, he'll be on the ground crying for his mommy." Yzak snorted. "That's not what I meant and you know it. You've pushed Shinn enough, and you're always pushing Athrun, what will you do if they gang up on you?" Dearka asked, finally looking up from the magazine.

"Whoop their asses, of course." Yzak said as if it were common knowledge. Dearka sighed again. "I highly doubt that Yzak." He said.

"Yeah right, the only person here that could pose a threat to me is Kira, and he'd never do anything and you know it. We all know it." Yzak replied bitterly.

"Shut-up Yzak. He would if you pushed him enough; or even Shinn and Athrun. He may not be a cold-blooded killer like you, but he can kill if he ahs to, even if he doesn't like it. Besides, he's our Godfather and we really shouldn't even be having this conversation." Dearka said.

"Exactly, so shut-up and keep reading your disgusting fake porn." Yzak said and smirked.

"You're just mad 'cause I won't be _your _Playmate of the Month." Dearka said and jumped out of his chair when Yzak went to tackle him.

"Shut-up you perverted little freak! How many times do I have to tell you that I just don't like women as much as you do!?" he shrieked with his red face as Dearka this time laughed and dodged.

"Jee Yzak, you're getting sloppy if _I _can dodge your punches." He commented and then was socked right in the face. This time Yzak laughed as Dearka scowled and rubbed his sore face.

"And of course the moment I say that something goes awry. You're just lucky I take your anger issues." He muttered and sat back down.

"You mean because you're a pansy." Yzak said and smirked. "Whatever you say Yzak Joule, whatever you say." Dearka said and went back to his magazine.

Rey was watching and listening and shook his head, rolling his eyes. He wasn't necessarily mad at Shinn for killing his father; he hardly cared for the man anyways, he was just mad that Shinn and Kira were closer than they should be. (Hey, if he can't hit that why should Kira be able to? You know what I'm sayin'? ...I'll shut up…)

He stalked back to his dark room and took out his book on the Many Ways to Torture Someone…

* * *

Athrun knocked on Kira's bedroom and heard some rustling before saw Kira himself at the door. Athrun smiled at him and the Godfather smiled back and invited him in.

Shinn was sleeping soundly on the bed, and Athrun saw that Kira must have been reading something because a book was lying on the bed beside him.

"What's up?" Kira asked, going back to his place on the bed while Athrun sat on his chair.

"Remember a day or so ago when I told you about my disguise?" Athrun asked, the beginnings of a chuckle already tugging at his lips.

Kira grinned. "Yeah. James Rosco, right?" he asked. "The one and only." Athrun replied and they chuckled softly. "Do you really think it's too cheesy? I'm sure Cagalli will see through my disguise, she's a lot smarter than I ever gave her credit for. Especially for being a blonde." He asked.

"Maybe. Depends on the circumstances and what mood she's in, really. A few more tweaks will make it perfect." Kira replied.

"I thought so…hey, can I try it on Shinn?" Athrun asked. "Uh, sure." Kira said and turned to the younger boy sleeping beside him. He put his hand out to shake him, but then stopped and bit his lip. He turned back to Athrun with a sheepish look.

"He looks too cute though…" he said and Athrun fell out of his chair while laughing.

"Shhhh! I don't wanna wake him yet." Kira whispered furiously and turned back to Shinn with a warm smile, stroking his cheek.

Athrun resisted the urge to laugh again and muttered, "Are you sure you're not completely in love with him, Kira? You sure act like it." He said.

Kira blushed and took his hand away. "I'm just protective, just like I am with you." Kira said with a defiant gleam in his eyes.

"Kira, I'm pretty sure you don't caress me the way you caress Shinn, and I'm pretty sure I'd be freaking out if you somehow ended up in my bed with me." The bluenette told him.

Kira frowned and then sighed. "I dunno how I feel, honestly. The fact that he killed Rau…for _me_…after all I did to him, it just amazes me. And he said he'd never leave me, and yet he's been wanting out of this gang for as long as I can remember. It just threw me off balance I guess, ever since the exchange I've been out of it." He said.

"Yeah, this is pretty crazy. Well, you'll just have to talk with him about it, I guess. Until then though…" Athrun said and gave Kira a knowing look.

"Right, the disguise. Maybe you should try it on the others, go ahead and put it on. If it doesn't work on them it'll at least freak Shinn out." Kira said and chuckled.

"You truly are mean, aren't you?" Athrun teased. Kira frowned. "Relax, I was kidding." Athrun said and left to change into his costume.

Kira sighed and lay down next to Shinn, stroking his cheek again. The boy was lying on his stomach with his head turned toward Kira, breathing evenly, his eyes moved and opened moments later and he went to sit up but Kira held him down.

"Shh, go back to sleep." He whispered in his ear. Shinn shuddered but obeyed, closing his eyes and returning to sleep.

Kira smiled at that and moved his hand along his back. Shinn moaned in pleasure and Kira started to really rub his back.

* * *

When Shinn brought Lacus back she somehow managed to get their stuff back without being noticed, however, as Shinn was driving away Cagalli approached her arms crossed over her chest and looking expectant.

"So I'm wondering why you just gave Shinn his and Dearka's stuff back without asking me first, and even more surprised that he brought you here in the first place. What happened with Rau?" Cagalli asked dangerously.

"It's sort of a long story, please, just let me explain everything to you." Lacus pleaded. Cagalli sighed. "Come on then, and I expect you to tell me _everything _about what's been going on with you, Lacus Clyne." She said and went into her office.

So Lacus told her what happened with Rau and what Shinn told her, making her promise not to tell any of the other girls. She expressed how she felt about telling them Kira's secret, how horrible and guilty she felt, and said that she didn't know what to do from there.

Cagalli sat quietly, taking all of it in. After Lacus finished explaining everything, she was silent for an extremely long time, too long for Lacus's sake.

"Cagalli?" she asked warily.

"I knew it." Cagalli responded in a small voice. She looked at Lacus; at her blue eyes, straight into her soul.

"I had a feeling it was Rau all along. Something about the last time I saw him and Kira together, and how Kira reacted to everything from then on. I just can't believe it…Kira." She was almost crying by now.

Despite being enemies, she couldn't help but feel terrible for what had happened to her twin brother. They didn't truly hate each other, they were just doing their jobs that were set before them by their parents, and it relived her to know that he wasn't a real monster because of her decision.

"I know. When Shinn told me…I fell apart. He seemed so sad too, I know he really cares for Kira, and after everything that's happened to him…I just think this whole war is a mistake, Cagalli. No offense, but I think we're doing this all wrong. Why are we fighting each other? For what purpose? Territory? We can share it; or even band together to prevent other foreign gangs from stealing it. It just doesn't make sense anymore, Cags." Lacus told her truthfully.

"I know, but like I told Luna and Shinn, it just doesn't work that way. Maybe I'll talk with him, but then again, this could all be a trap. Just because Shinn looked and sounded sincere doesn't mean he was being truthful. I hate to say it, but we have to look at it from all angles. You know how cunning they are, and I'm pretty sure Shinn was lying when he said they were going to plant a bomb in the base. First of all, we didn't' find any bombs, second of all, Fllay and Meyrin captured Dearka, either they're extremely good actors, or they're lying, one way or the other, that definitely wasn't their true intentions." Cagalli said.

"I know what you mean. But I don't think he was lying about Rau, no one can be that good of an actor, and like you said, they were clearly lying the other night. I'm just sorry I was so easily captured. If it weren't for me and Milly this would've been so easy." Lacus said.

"Not necessarily Lacus. You didn't hear what Kira said, he was just about to let me kill Dearka and Shinn just so he wouldn't have to give up. I have to admit, I truly wasn't expecting that from him. That's why we have to be careful, we can't just believe everything they say, and we can't assume anything either." Cags told her.

"I understand." Lacus said quietly.

There was a pause while Lacus looked down at her hands folded in her lap and Cagalli observed her with a sad yet knowing look.

"You truly love him, don't you?" Cagalli asked softly. Lacus snapped her head up and then sighed, looking off in the distance with a forlorn look in her eyes.

"Yes, I do. I'm sorry Cagalli. I know I shouldn't, but I just can't help it." She said sadly.

"It's okay Lacus. Maybe we can use that in our favor. We all know that girls are mostly useful to get a guy's attention. Maybe we might as well revert to Plan B." Cagalli told her. _'And I also know how you feel…Athrun…no, I shouldn't think of him, Lacus can love Kira if she wants, she'll know how to deal with it, but…no, I can't allow myself to fall in love with Athrun Zala.' _She thought sadly.

Lacus looked surprised. "You mean…?" she asked cautiously. Cagalli nodded.

"Operation: Broken Heart."

* * *

Shinn slowly drew back to the world of consciousness, regretfully so; his dreams were for once filled with happiness and no wars or nightmares, something that would _only _be in his dreams.

He sighed after realizing he couldn't sleep any longer, nor pretend to. He opened his eyes and looked around…

…Coming face to face with "James Rosco".

"What the –freak-?" he asked and sat up quickly, glaring at Kira as he and Athrun laughed.

"Good morning, Shinn Asuka, or should I say, good afternoon. My name is James Rosco; I came from Italy to…assist you and your Godfather." Athrun said in his Italian accent.

Shinn gave him a weird look, raising his eyebrows; Kira resisted the urge to laugh, and Athrun waited patiently.

"Athrun, why the hell are you dressed up in that _ridiculous_ costume? I don't remember it being October just yet." Shinn said after a moment.

Athrun pouted and slumped his shoulders. "I was hoping you wouldn't recognize me. This is the disguise I was going to use on Cagalli." He said.

"Well, hate to tell ya, but it wouldn't have worked. Why would you want to use a disguise on Cagalli anyway?" Shinn asked, looking confused.

"So I could slip her a few beers and get her to confess her gang's secrets and plans. But obviously that will only work in the best of my dreams." Athrun said and sighed.

Shinn's mouth twitched, as if he were trying not to smile, and he glanced at Kira. There was an awkward silence as no one knew what to do or say next.

"Uh, so, what should we do today, then?" Kira asked. "You're the Godfather, it's up to you." Athrun replied.

"Hmm, well, why don't we take the day to try to come up with some ideas and approaches to Operation: Lust. We need to know what we're doing instead of just rushing in blindly and hoping it'll work." Kira said.

"Okay, I'll tell the others." Athrun said and stood. "Wait, how is Nicol? I meant to ask you before." Kira asked.

"He's fine, I spoke with him this morning, and Yzak and Dearka are back to normal, I haven't seen Rey though." Athrun told him.

"Oh, okay, when you see Rey or Nicol tell them I wish to speak with them." Kira told him.

"I will." He said and glanced at Shinn and winked at him. Shinn gave him a sly look and watched him leave.

Kira narrowed his eyes at this but didn't say anything, and then cleared his throat after Athrun left.

"So…did you sleep well? You weren't tossing and turning or cussing at me, so I assumed you weren't having any nightmares." Kira asked him.

"Yeah, I slept well. How about you?" Shinn asked in return.

"Good, I guess." Kira replied and it got quiet again. That is, until Kira smirked and turned to Shinn, looking sly.

"You know, I never really got to finish what I started yesterday morning. It seems you were somehow able to distract me long enough to get out of it." He said.

Shinn blushed just a little bit and looked away, not saying anything. He no longer looked intimidating or serious like before, he looked…small, vulnerable; breakable.

"Shinn." Kira said softly. The younger boy turned to look at him, himself looking slightly…afraid. Why?

Kira's eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong?" he asked and crawled onto the bed next to him, taking his face into his hands.

Shinn sighed. "It's not that I don't want to, it's just…" he began and bit his lip. "Just what?" Kira asked quietly, although knowing the answer.

"Just, I wanted to start over, be friends, and…doing _that _would only get us to where we just were. But I still _want _to. I guess I'm just confused." Shinn finished and looked at Kira.

"This coming from the same Shinn that just killed one of The Reapers, so sure and confident. What happened to him?" Kira asked, semi-rhetorically.

Shinn grinned sheepishly. "You'd rather have me cold and merciless? I thought you liked me as submissive and shy." He said.

"I like you any way I can get you, frankly." Kira said and nuzzled his cheek and neck.

Shinn took a shuddered breath and closed his eyes.

"Kira…"

"What?"

"What are we?" Shinn asked. Kira stopped what he was doing and looked at him in the eyes.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean…how do you feel about me? We've had this conversation so many times before, but we never got down to the truth. I never got a real answer from you." Shinn told him.

"Can't we talk about this _after_?" Kira whined. Shinn half-smirked. "No, that defeats the purpose and will make things worse. We have to talk about it now before we do anything." He told him.

"But we already did something…" Kira said slyly. Shinn blushed again. "But we're trying to start over, aren't we?" he asked.

"Shinn, we've tried to start over two times already, let's just…be who we are and not try to erase the past. I know this isn't a normal relationship, but until I marry someone else, or me and Lacus get serious; or even you and Luna get serious, I…I want to be with you." The older coordinator said.

Shinn didn't reply but closed his eyes as Kira nuzzled him more and started a trail of kisses down his neck. Shinn lay down slowly and Kira kissed him on the lips passionately, trying to do things right and not totally go berserk.

After a long while of this, Shinn smiled and said, "I know what we are, Kira."

"What, Shinn?"

"We're friends with benefits."

They chuckled and looked into each other's eyes, not noticing the pair of emotionless eyes watching them through a slit in the door…

* * *

"Alright girls, Operation: Broken Heart has now officially begun. I want to stress not to get too deeply involved, and be careful, they could be pulling the same tricks and lies for the same reasons. Don't entertain any rash impulses, or I'm positive you'll regret it, one way or the other. Good luck and be strong." Cagalli told the girls in her office.

"Pokitknives!" they shouted and put their fists in the air before departing to do what they do best.

* * *

**-Author's Note: You know you liked that, I mean come on; the whole Athrun-dressing-up-like-that-hot-Italian-model was funny, right? Please tell em what you think, don't expect another update for a while, unfortunately, unless I get hooked on this. Either way, I will update, just not as soon as you might want. Again, sorry.-**


	13. Chap 13:Operation:Heartbreak In Action

**Chapter 13: Operation: Heartbreak In Action**

**Disclaimer:**** No ownage….wahaha Silence is golden and duct tape is silver…**

**Shinn: (glaring at me with duct tape on his mouth)**

**Me: WAHAHA ON WITH THE FIC THAT I HAVE NEGLECTED TO UPDATE FOR A WHILE AND AM SORRY FOR!!!**

* * *

"Alright girls, first thing is to decide who's going after who." Cagalli told her gang members after they decided to go to Plan B: Operation: Heartbreak. She hoped that this plan would go better than the other one.

"Luna, I assume you'll be pursuing Shinn." She said and turned to the girl. Luna nodded. "What about Stellar?" Stellar asked. A smirk appeared on Cagalli's face as she said, "Why don't you both go after him? Not only will he have to contend with my brother but also two crazed enemies who have some sly tricks up their sleeves. What better way to completely turn his world upside down to our favor?" she asked (rhetorically).

Stellar grinned and clapped her hands, Luna remained neutral.

"I also have those plans for Kira, Lacus and Fllay you can both pursue him, that oughta be good fun. Meyrin and I will take Athrun." Cags continued.

"What about me?" Milly asked. "Yeah, and who's taking on Dearka, Yzak, Rey, and Nicol?" Meyrin asked.

"Milly can take Dearka and Nicol, Yzak and Rey won't be affected by anything we girls do. In fact I think they're either gay or at least bisexual." Cagalli said.

"True." The girls responded and Milly's face lit up. "I can go out with Dearka again!?" she asked excitedly. "Mirillia Haww, this is reality, and in reality you can't always get what you want. Yes, you may continue to pursue Dearka Elsman but that is it, the plan is called Operation: _Heartbreak_ not Fall-In-Love-And-Screw-Everything-Up! We're enemies here fighting for control of ORB! Do you understand? I would also like for you to pursue Nicol so it at least gives you some help; what would poor Dearka think when he sees you with another man? One of his own friends, even? Get it?" Cagalli told her with a stern look.

"Yes ma'am, I'll do my best." The brunette answered with a determined look. Cagalli nodded and then looked all of the girls in the eyes.

"I'll give you the rest of the day to come up with plans and put them to action. Report to me when you've thought of something and are going out. Meyrin you'll stay in here with me, the rest of you can go wherever you want to plan." Cagalli finished and the girls saluted and then filed out, discussing with each other ideas.

"So Cags, what's the plan?" Meyrin asked her Boss when they were alone.

"I'm not really sure what to do. Maybe we can go to Rockstar Bar and see if he's there, if not then we can leave a little something for when he comes." The blonde replied.

Mey nodded. "Good idea. And I'll send him some 'gifts' to maybe spice things up. But you know, I've been thinking about something ever since Shinn asked Luna back out and that whole mess," she said and furrowed her eyebrows.

"What?" Cags asked.

"Well, the fact that Shinn asked Luna out, and that Kira actually slept with Lacus, what if they're planning the same thing? I mean, it just seems…odd, and that's the only thing that makes sense to me." She said.

"I agree, I've actually been pondering the same. But if they are, that just means we'll have to try harder not to fall prey to their 'charms'. What concerns me the most is that Luna, Lacus, and Milly are all nearly in love with their boys already, and with this plan and the possibility that the boys are playing their own games makes me wonder if they should really be involved. I don't want them to get hurt, after all, but I don't want them messing up either. I just don't know what to do." Cagalli confessed.

"I think…that everything will turn out for the better eventually. I mean, you really can't help who you fall in love with, but we can always use that to our advantage. Just let everything unfold and maybe we'll finally come out on top, and if we don't…" Mey ended at that and shrugged.

"True. Alright then. But now to carry out our plans: I'm thinking I'll go to the bar tonight and see if he's there, and you can send the gift while he's away (I'll call you if he's there) so that when he gets back he'll have a nice and confusing surprise awaiting him. Sound good?" Cagalli asked.

"Yep, sounds perfect. I'll arrange for a nice leather jacket to be delivered to Mr. Athrun Zala tonight." Meyrin said with a smirk. The girls chuckled and high-fived before Meyrin got up to leave.

_Knock, knock. _

"Come in." Cagalli called. The door opened to reveal a worried and uncertain looking Luna and a determined and smirking Stellar. Meyrin slipped out while they were coming in and flashed her sister a reassuring smile.

"Have a seat girls and tell me your plans." Cagalli told them.

"Well, Stellar was thinking that she could go on date with Shinn and then Luna could call him and flirt. Is that good?" Stellar asked excitedly.

"Sure, I like that. What about you Luna?" Cagalli replied.

"Um, I liked Stellar's plans and can't really come up with anything at the moment." She responded.

Cags nodded, slipping Luna a knowing look. "Alright good. When are you planning on having this date?" she asked Stellar.

"Tonight, hopefully. Stellar will call Shinn and ask him out when she gets back to room." Stellar replied.

"Okay, I like that. Go call him now while I talk with Luna for a bit, okay Stellar?' Cagalli said. "Okay. Stellar thanks Cagalli-san!" the other blonde said and jumped up, running toward the door and down the hall.

"Luna. You don't seem very enthusiastic about this plan. Why is that?" Cagalli asked the girl.

"It's just…I don't think I'll be able to go through with it. I really care about Shinn, I'm sorry, Cagalli, I really am." Luna answered.

"I understand, Luna, I do. But like I've told you both before, you have to realize that this is life and these are the paths that we chose. We're all enemies here, whether we like it or not, and we have to play our parts the best we can for now. Maybe a deal will come up and we won't have to fight each other anymore, but until then, this is all we have. I know you can do it Luna, and if you really don't want to get involved further I'll understand." Cagalli told her sincerely.

"Thank you Cagalli. I'll do everything within my power, I promise." Luna told her with a renewed glow in her eyes.

"Good, you can go now." Cags said and smiled. Luna smiled back and then left.

* * *

"There, now it's the perfect disguise, she'll never even know as long as you keep up the accent and act…Italian." Kira said after he put the finishing touches on Athrun's "James Rosco" disguise.

"Thanks. I think it might actually work. I'll go tonight and see if she's there; if not…I'll try something else. Hey, do you think they've got a Plan B?" Athrun asked with a concerned look.

"I have no doubt about them having a Plan B. The only problem is if it's the same as ours. We'll see though. I want you to get as much out of her as possible considering the circumstances, alright? Good luck, and go get Shinn for me please." Kira replied and slapped him on the back.

"Thanks. Yeah I'll get him." Athrun replied and left the room.

Shinn poked his head into the room moments later. "You asked for me sir?" he asked and walked inside.

"Yes, Shinn, I have a new assignment for you." Kira said and walked over to him.

"Really? What is it?" Shinn asked, an excited gleam showing in his red eyes.

"I want you to be our spy. Do whatever you have to, put cameras in their base, follow them, ask around at the places they usually go, anything and everything to get as much information you can without holding a gun to their heads and demanding it; although I wouldn't mind if you did that either." Kira told him.

"Sweet! Will do! Do you happen to have any cameras or listening devices?" the boy replied.

"I have a few things that might help." Kira answered and went over to his desk and opened a drawer.

"I have two mini cameras you can install in just about anything, three listening devices that are small enough to not be seen, a tape recorder, and this," Kira said, taking the things out and putting them on his desk. The last item he held up to Shinn to see.

It was a kit including a pair of binoculars, a voice disguiser, a mirror, pen-camera, and a small disguise kit as well.

"Cool, thanks." Shinn replied and took the kit. Kira put the other supplies in a bag and also gave it to Shinn.

"If you need anything else you'll have to get it yourself, the Bloodlust Blood Money is available as long as you don't take too much." Kira told him.

"Okay good. I'll see what I can do tonight." Shinn replied.

"Shinn," Kira said as the boy was about to leave. "Yes sir?" he asked. "Don't get caught this time, alright? And be careful, we have a few more enemies around now and those girls are tricky." He commanded.

Shinn nodded. "Yes sir." He said and left.

Kira nodded to himself and then sat back down at his desk, pondering over the recent events.

* * *

**That night: Rockstar Bar**

Cagalli showed up in some tight jeans and a revealing shirt, a whiff of perfume radiating from her. Her hair was damp and tousled into a sexy look and she wore a hint of make-up. All of this was of course not her idea but Meyrin's work, but for the sake of the Operation she complied.

Wiping a little bit of the make-up off as she sat down at the bar she looked around for the blue-haired man but saw not a trace of him.

"Hello Miss Cagalli, what are you having tonight?" the bartender asked her.

"A Miller Light, Jerry." Cagalli answered. He nodded and went to get her the drink.

She continued looking around for Athrun or even her brother, but found no one form the Bloodlust gang. _'That's weird, it's Friday night and none of them are here? They must be up to something.' _She thought.

"Looking for someone? None of your brother's gang is here, haven't been here in a while in fact. Did you kill them all or somethin'?" Jerry asked when he delivered her drink. He had noticed that she was looking around and basically knew their situation up to the exchange.

"Long story, Jerry. Have you heard anything from the grapevine?" she asked.

"Nothing at all, Miss Attha. If I did I'd tell ya. I was thinkin' you'd know somethin'. Did ya'll do some sort of exchange the other day? I saw you all outside and switchin' cars and such. Scared a few of my customers it did." Jerry replied.

"I'm sorry. Yeah, we had Shinn and Dearka while they had Lacus and Milly. We were hoping to get Kira's territory through a bargain but they managed to get a hold of the girls. A lot of surprises from that, though." She mused.

"Ah, I see. You know, I _did _here somethin' from one o' them Reaper fellas, somethin' 'bout Rau Le Creuset. They said somethin' 'bout him being shot up down near Walter's Place. You know somethin' 'bout that?" Jerry said.

"Yeah, Shinn shot him. We told Rau about a little relationship that was going on at the Bloodlust headquarters and he went to investigate, it turned out that he was the one who…changed Kira. Shinn got pretty pissed and killed him and then told Lacus everything. Did they say anything about getting revenge or something?" Cagalli said.

"Not really. It was that blonde guy, the coffee maniac, and that black-haired man, don't really know their names. They were just discussing it and didn't mention revenge. Just tellin' each other the news." Jerry replied.

"Good, I guess. We could both be in trouble. Thanks Jerry, I seem to be holding you up." She said and he nodded and went to take a couple other people's orders.

That was when Cagalli noticed a man sitting next to her, he looked Italian but slightly familiar. He sat drinking a foreign beer and glanced at her from the corner of his eye, then smiled.

"Hello, Miss, you look quite beautiful today." He said with a thick yet somewhat fake accent.

"Thanks." She replied and took a swig of her beer.

"I do not believe I have ever seen a woman drink a beer like that, Miss, if I may say. Back in Italy, the women drink fine wines and spirits, but in moderation." He said. (I'm not totally sure if this is accurate so please don't get mad at me if anyone who is Italian is reading! I love Italians…rawr…)

"Oh? Well I'm not exactly feminine." Cagalli snorted.

"You look quite female to me." He said and smiled.

That was when she knew. A small smile played upon her lips as he introduced himself. "My name is James Rosco, and what is yours, Miss?"

"Cagalli." She answered, keeping from chuckling at the strangeness of the situation.

"Is something funny? It is my accent, isn't it?" he said.

"No, no…it's just that you remind me of someone." She replied.

"Oh? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" he asked.

"I'm not really sure, but I'm sorry if I offended you or anything." She said, again trying not to laugh.

"No, you did not offend me. Being from a different place one must accept people looking at you differently for some things." He said.

"True." She said and took another swig. "Another Miller, Jerry." She ordered.

"Right away Miss." He answered.

"So how long have you been in ORB?" she asked.

"Uh, a week or so." He answered hesitantly.

"Do you like it so far?" she asked.

"Oh yes, very much so. But I have heard a few gangs are in the area. Do you know anything about that?" he asked.

"Okay Athrun, if you're trying to get information on the Pokitknives you're not gonna get it from me. What's with the disguise anyway? Did you really think that would work?" she said.

He sighed and took of the mustache and wig. "I kinda knew it wouldn't, but I hoped it would. So much for that. When did you figure it out?" he asked.

"When you smiled." She said hesitantly. He looked at her in surprise and she turned back to her beer.

"Aren't you going to order me away?" he asked.

"Nope. I have no jurisdiction here, it's neutral, remember? Besides, you're not really bothering me so I don't see why you have to leave." She replied.

"How many beers have you had?" he asked slightly incredulously.

She chuckled and took another swig. "This is only my second one, _James_."

"So you don't mind if I'm here but you don't want to spare any information?" he asked, taking a swig of his own drink.

"Not unless you're willing to tell me something. But I did hear through the grapevine about The Reapers discussing Rau's death." She said.

"Oh really? Did they say anything about coming for Shinn or Kira?" he asked.

"No, they were just sharing the news and stuff." She replied.

"Good. Although I'm pretty sure Mwu and Andy won't be mad, but Durandal is another thing." He said.

"Yeah, but we could get in trouble too you know. They could say it was a trap or something. Remember what happened to Heine?" she asked.

"Yeah, I remember." He said bitterly. When they were still in school, Heine, Miguel, Tolle, and a few others were in a gang and challenged The Reapers, which lead to their death. Only one person survived…

"But anyway, that's all you can tell me?" he asked with a small smile.

"Yeah, sorry. Do you have anything you'd like to share that's not gang related?" she asked.

He hesitated but then smiled again, "You really do look beautiful tonight. Who'd you dress up for?" again he said bitterly.

She shrugged and turned away, nursing her beer.

"How much do you know about Shinn and Kira's relationship?" he asked suddenly.

"Lacus told me what Rau did to Kira, I haven't told anyone else. Other than that I only know they they've slept together." She said. "Why?"

"Just to be sure there's no miscommunication." He said and they drank in silence.

Across town, a call was being made and a date set, while another person rode up to the Pokitknives base in a cab…

* * *

**-Author's Note: That's all I've got for right now. Hope you guys liked it, please tell me what you think!-**


	14. Chapter 14: Love and Jealousy Blossoms!

Chapter 14: Jealousy and Love Blossoms

**Chapter 14: Jealousy and Love Blossoms**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own the cast but the plot and names of the gangs and such are MINE!!**

**Kira: She scares me… (hiding in a corner)**

**Shinn: Me too (hiding behind a desk)**

**Me: MUWAHAHA!! Okay on with the fic! This chappy will be dedicated to ****AsuCaga01**** for encouraging me to write this!**

* * *

"Hey Kira, I'm going out." Shinn told the older coordinator as he put on his jacket.

"To spy?" Kira asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"…kinda…" the other boy replied, not meeting Kira's eye. That was when he knew something was up. _'Is he going out with Luna?' _Kira thought darkly and scowled, coming up to Shinn who was fumbling with something in his pocket.

Kira caught Shinn's wrist and looked him in the eye, Shinn tried to look innocent but then sighed.

"Look, I know you took me off the operation, but I still think I can help. Stellar called and wanted to apologize to me for her treatment while I was captured. She wanted me to meet her at O'Riellys tonight to have dinner. I thought I'd take the tape recorder in case she decided to give me any information." Shinn confessed.

Kira raised an eyebrow at Shinn's expression and felt a pang of jealousy shoot through him. The night before was incredible, even equal to the night he spent with Lacus, and so the thought of Shinn going on a date, even if it was to spy and simply get information on his enemies, was displeasing to him.

Shinn seemed to understand his feelings because he got closer and pecked him on the cheek.

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon and you can have me for the night. I just don't want to sit around here and feel useless." He said.

Kira smirked and ran a hand through Shinn's hair. "You don't have to feel useless; I can find a few ways for you to be useful." He insinuated.

Shinn half-smiled and shook his head. "You know what I mean. Please let me do this." He pleaded, putting on the full force. He knew how to get what he wanted because he knew the effect he had on people and could control it- to a certain extent.

The plea worked, as he knew it would. Kira gave in, but before he allowed him to leave he kissed him passionately so he wouldn't wait to get back.

After Kira watched Shinn's motorcycle speed away he noticed he wasn't alone. He turned his head and saw Rey standing in the shadows out of the corner of his eye.

"Why do you do that?" the blonde asked with a frown. His eyes seemed to hold an aggressive gleam to them that Kira didn't like.

"Because I can." Kira answered coldly, suddenly feeling protective of Shinn.

Rey's eyes narrowed more. "You'd think that my father would have woken you up, but I guess you'd rather stay in your little dream world where Shinn is yours and no one else's." he said.

"Excuse me? You're the one in the dream world if you think you can talk to me like that." Kira spat viciously, getting into a defensive posture with his fists curled.

Rey raised his hands in surrender and said, "I just think you should stop before you dig yourself into a deeper hole, that's all."

Kira glared at him so he shrugged and walked away. _'Maybe he's right…argh! I shouldn't have let him go out there!' _he thought and grabbed his keys before going out of the door.

* * *

Shinn reached O'Riellys quickly and sat down at the bar area by the door. Stellar wasn't there yet, and he had a bad feeling that there would be another ambush like last time.

'_But this is our territory, there's no way she'll be able to take me all alone, and if she brought any other girls we would know. It can't be a trap.' _He thought to himself.

Just then he saw Stellar walk through the door. She smiled at him and then hugged him, surprising him.

"Stellar so glad to see you again, Shinn. Stellar is sorry she hurt you, but she had to or else Cagalli-san would be angry at her. Let's sit over here." she said and led him to a table facing the door. He wasn't suspicious any more, seeing as there was no way anything bad could happen now (unless one of The Reapers came).

"It's alright, I'll live." Shinn replied and smiled charmingly. Stellar giggled and then seemed to notice the cut on his cheek.

"Did Kira do that to you?" she asked and reached out a hand to touch the cut.

"Yeah, but it's fine, just a scratch." He said, although there was a hint of pain in his eyes.

Outside, Kira watched with a frown as he saw Shinn smile and then Stellar touch his cheek. He knew he was driving himself insane and that he was extremely jealous and protective, but he didn't care. He wouldn't let anyone hurt Shinn again. Besides, he had nothing else better to do since Lacus didn't answer her phone and the others were out or doing something.

He was sitting in his car outside of the window where Shinn and Stellar sat, although they were actually in a corner a bit away from the window where a different couple sat, obstructing their view of Kira, which was perfect for him.

"Just a scratch? It looks long and deep. Stellar hopes it doesn't scar and mess up Shinn's handsome face." Stellar replied.

Shinn blushed and remembered Kira's apology a few nights ago. He had a weird feeling in his gut somewhere, like he was betraying Kira by being with Stellar, but it was what he had to do. He only hoped Kira would be forgiving that night in bed…

"Shinn? Stellar asked a question." Stellar told him, waving a hand in front of his face.

"Oh, sorry. What did you ask?" he asked her and she giggled. He grinned, which made her blush.

Kira scowled and crossed his arms angrily, trying to keep his temper in check. Shinn was only doing what he wanted him to do, so why did he not like it?

"Stellar asked if Shinn wanted to dance." Stellar asked again and Shinn hesitated. _'It's certainly been a while since I actually had a little fun, and besides, Kira doesn't have to know.' _he assured himself and then accepted her invitation.

They walked out to the dance floor where multiple couples were grinding against each other and started dancing to the music.

Kira's eyes widened as he saw Stellar get real dirty with Shinn, amazed that she could dance the way she did, and then they narrowed when he saw Shinn sliding his hands over her body and dancing just as dirty.

He clenched his fists and nearly growled when he saw them kiss and get even dirtier, which seemed highly impossible only a moment before.

Shinn had his hands on Stellar's waist as she grinded against him when he saw a familiar car just out of the window. He squinted his eyes and then they widened when he saw Kira glaring at him through the glass, then put the car in reverse and speed away. He gulped and froze, wondering what would await him when he got back to the base.

"Shinn? Why did you stop?" Stellar asked with a confused expression.

"N-nothing Stellar, I just thought I saw something, but it's nothing." He replied and grinned down at her, she grinned back and they started dancing again.

* * *

After chatting some more with Cagalli and sharing a few more beers Athrun decided to report back to the base. When he went to leave, however, Cagalli grabbed his wrist and pulled him back to her, kissing him on the lips.

As he remembered the moment while driving he dismissed it as her just being drunk and senseless. But still, there was a look in her eyes that made him doubt she was simply acting impulsive. After their kiss she pushed him away and turned back to the counter, and he simply left, stunned and a bit confused.

'_Does she actually like me? Did it work? Kira will be pleased to know this.' _He thought as he pulled into his parking spot.

He walked up to the door but stopped when he saw a package with a note. He picked it up and saw that it was for him. He shrugged and opened the door to see Kira sitting in a chair looking beyond pissed.

He closed the door and cast a wary glance at his friend who glanced up at him and then resumed glaring at the door.

"Is something wrong, Kira?" he asked cautiously.

"I'll tell you tomorrow Athrun. What's that?" Kira replied in a cold and distant voice. He eyed the package curiously, although he still maintained the angry expression.

"I'm not sure; it was outside by the door. Are you sure you're okay?" Athrun said.

"I'm fine, Athrun." Kira said dismissively. Athrun thought about questioning him further, but his friend's glare stopped him. _'Shinn probably pissed him off again as usual, although I haven't seen him this mad in a while.' _He thought as he walked to his room.

He took out his switchblade and opened the package to reveal a brown leather jacket. It looked expensive and smelled real. He sat stunned for a few moments until he noticed the note again and quickly read through it.

It was from Meyrin.

* * *

Shinn stood outside of the door, half-drunk and fully regretting even coming back, much less going out with Stellar in the first place. He took a deep breath and reached out his hand to turn the knob and he noticed that he was shaking.

'_Nice Shinn, you must _love _being abused. Either that or can never learn from your mistakes.' _He thought to himself.

He turned the knob and was greeted by cold amethyst eyes. Kira was sitting in a chair by the door, glaring at him with his arms crossed. It was dark in the living room except for a small light.

Shinn gulped and almost stumbled coming in, then closed the door and leaned against it while looking warily at his Boss.

There was a tight silence, the air felt thick with tension and anger.

"I shouldn't have let you go." Kira said in a dark voice.

Shinn looked down and the floor swayed beneath him.

"I don't even want to know what else you did with her." Kira continued, steadily getting angrier.

Shinn flinched and sneaked a glance up, then regretted it. Kira was gonna kill him.

"Aren't you going to plead for mercy?"

"W-why should I do that? I w-was only doing what you t-told me to do. It was just dancing." Shinn replied. In an instant Kira was on his feet and pinning him to the door. Shinn's eyes flew wide and he gasped, holding in a whimper as Kira glared at him.

"That wasn't dancing; you were practically humping each other out there." Kira growled.

Thinking it would be safer not to argue Shinn replied, "Would you rather I dance like that with you?"

Kira looked taken aback and Shinn regretted the last beer he had, but knew that without it there was no way he could pull this off.

"Go on, play some music and I'll dance with you Kira, and anything else you want me to do." He said, nuzzling his neck. Kira still said nothing, not knowing how to react.

"You're drunk." He stated finally.

"Only a little, besides, this way I'm not fighting with you." Shinn said and rubbed his leg against Kira's sensually while brushing his lips along his neck.

Kira pushed him back and continued glaring. "That won't work on me, Shinn." He said.

Shinn bit his lip and squirmed under his cold stare.

"It's over now, I'm yours. Aren't you happy?' he asked.

"How long will you be mine Shinn? If I get jealous just watching you dance with another girl how can I let you continue with this operation?" Kira asked, softening just a little.

"I don't know, but I'm half-drunk and horny so unless you're going to kill me I suggest you kiss me and take me to your bed." He said, making Kira's eyes widen.

Shinn took the opportunity to get out of his hold and kiss him, wrapping his leg around him and clutching the back of his head.

Again he was pushed back against the door, and _hard _too. "Ouch!" he gasped while his vision blurred for a moment.

"I told you that won't work! Stop acting like a whore or I _will _kill you!" Kira shouted, breathing hard while his eyes burned into Shinn's.

Shinn whimpered and closed his eyes tight, trying to fight the nausea and dizziness. Kira noticed this and began dragging him towards the hall.

"Wha-what're you doin'?" Shinn asked, his words beginning to slur.

"Taking you to my bed so you can sleep. I'll punish you tomorrow morning while your head is splitting in two and you regret tonight. Hopefully you'll learn someday." He muttered.

Shinn stumbled as Kira dragged him towards his room and then threw him on the bed. He groaned and rolled onto his side, getting pale and weary.

"Don't you dare throw up on this bed." Kira ordered sharply.

"Don' worry I didn' drink tha' much." Shinn mumbled, already falling asleep. Kira glared down at him and then marched out of the room and into the kitchen where he got an ice pack. He stormed back in and put it on the boy's head that rested in his lap.

Shinn's eyes fluttered closed and soon he was deep asleep. Kira sat smoldering, holding the ice pack on his lover's head and trying to think of a good enough punishment.

"Hey Boss, I heard shouting and just wanted to make sure everything was alright. I'm just worried about you, Kira." Athrun said, popping his head in.

Kira sighed and looked up. "Everything's fine. I'm just angry at myself as well as him. I think making him our spy was a bad idea. How did your date with Cagalli go? And what was that package?" he said.

"Well, she recognized me, we had a few beers and talked-," He was cut off as he knew he would be.

"She didn't chew you out or leave after she found out it was you?" Kira asked.

"No, she said that since it was neutral territory she had no right to throw me out, and that I wasn't really bothering her. At first I wondered if she was already hammered but she was only on her first beer." Athrun replied.

"So then what?" Kira asked.

"Well, when I went to leave she…kissed me." Athrun said.

Kira didn't respond for a moment as a blank expression took over his face.

"She what?"

"Yeah I know, pretty crazy huh? I guess our little plan worked after all." Athrun said, confusion and disbelief still clear on his face even as he spoke.

"I guess everyone is acting strangely tonight." Kira murmured and looked down at Shinn.

"And the package was a brown leather jacket form Meyrin. Call me crazy, but it seems that the girls are either on to us or are playing the same game." Athrun told him.

"Well, this should be interesting, who's the better seducer: girls, or boys?" Kira said.

"We'll see. Are you sure you want to continue this? It could get pretty complicated and messed up." Athrun warned.

Kira looked up at him with a distinct look and said, "It already is."

* * *

**-Author's Note: Oooo, Shinn's in trouble! Again…yeah, I just had to throw in the jealousy. Tell me what you think, questions and comments are greatly appreciated, but no flames please, as it is summer and my fireplace is not in service. Hoped you liked it, especially AsuCaga01!-**


	15. Chapter 15: In the Mirror

**Chapter 15: In the Mirror**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own the Gundam peeps, just the gang names and the –plot- (or lack thereof). Oh, and in chapter 13, I meant a cab rode up to the Bloodlust base, (it was Meyrin delivering the jacket.)**

* * *

'_Why did I kiss him? What was I thinking?' _Cagalli asked herself as she lay on her bed, staring at her ceiling.

After Athrun left she downed one last beer before calling Meyrin to pick her up. The girl asked no questions, although looked at Cagalli curiously, on the way home.

After assuring the girl she would inform her of the night the next day, Cagalli trudged into her room and fell on her bed, not bothering to change or anything as she quickly fell asleep.

She was greeted with a hangover and the realization of what she had done when she finally awoke.

'_I was just drunk, hopefully he won't think too much on it. Either way, I have to find out if the others made any progress.' _She told herself and then got up.

She trudged into her bathroom, carrying a change of clothes. After she took a shower and changed she splashed her face with cold water to wake herself up. She sighed and reached into her medicine cabinet, took out some Tylenol, and gulped down a pill; chasing it down with water.

She looked at herself in the mirror. Her blonde hair was starting to dry and get curly as usual. She had dark bags underneath her eyes, which looked weary and had a longing sadness within them. Her face was pale but slowly starting to return to its normal color.

"Well, Cagalli, you've done worse. Gotta pick yourself up and focus on the mission at hand." She told herself before going out of her room.

* * *

Flay had on a smirk as she looked at herself in the mirror. She had on too much make-up but didn't really care. Her hair was moussed and spritzed into something untamable. She had on a pink tube-top that barely fit and a black miniskirt with pink and black pumps.

Today she was going to turn a bisexual man into a straight one.

* * *

Luna's eyes reflected the pain and sadness within her. She stared at the mirror in front of her and didn't recognize the girl she saw. This girl's hair was limp and lifeless. Her face was pale and untouched by make-up. Her outfit consisted of a maroon blouse with blue jeans, but they didn't accentuate her figure like they were supposed to.

She sighed and put on her maroon high-heels.

* * *

Mirillia Haww grinned widely at the reflection in the mirror. Her mousy-brown hair was perfectly curled, not a single hair was out of place. She had on a balanced amount of make-up that matched her complexion and some pink lipstick that looked great on her. She had on her favorite yellow tank-top that hugged her sides and a short black skirt with black high-heels.

Today she started her mission.

* * *

Stellar smiled as she reminisced about her night with Shinn. She had felt so happy dancing with him, like she had been whole. She couldn't stop herself from grinning and skipping around.

But then she had to remind herself that this feeling couldn't last for long, because she would have to betray Shinn. She frowned and looked down at her small hands.

She didn't bother with make-up and had on a blue floral dress that came down to her knees and swished every time she moved. She had a blue necklace and earrings to match, as well as blue flip-flops.

She shrugged and continued grinning before skipping out of her bathroom.

* * *

Lacus put the small golden clip in her pink hair and examined herself. She had on little make-up as usual, with pink lip-gloss and pink earrings. She had on a white dress with pink trim and frills. She had on silver and pink bracelets along with the necklace that Kira had given her a few years back.

It was simple really; just a silver heart locket with a pink gem in the center. But inside was a picture of them when they were together. They were smiling. Kira still looked innocent and didn't have that hard edge to his features and that cold gleam in his eyes.

She touched it briefly before slipping on her white shoes.

* * *

Meyrin brushed her bangs out of her eyes. Her hair was in its usual pig-tails. Despite her innocent appearance, she was rather sinister. She applied the red lipstick and looked over herself. She had on a red halter top that had a small circle looped around a golden ring exposing her cleavage. She had on some tight, dark-blue, skinny-jeans tucked inside red pumps.

She smirked to herself, satisfied, before strutting out of her room.

* * *

"So girls, what have you got?" Cagalli asked when all the girls had arrived in the living room.

"I sent Athrun the jacket and a lip-stick note." Meyrin said (when a girl kisses a letter and leaves a lip-stick mark).

"Stellar went on the date with Shinn and we had a lot of fun, but he didn't spill anything, even though Stellar filled him up with beer." Stellar told them.

"Lacus and I were working on a plan yesterday and we decided that I would distract Kira from Shinn so that Lacus would have an opening, even though I'd much rather end up with him." Flay confessed. Lacus nodded in agreement and glanced at the other girl.

Cagalli raised an eyebrow and nodded in approval.

"I thought of ways to seduce Dearka and Nicol. I bought a Classical Musicians CD set that I'll give to Nicol as a present and I'm going to ask Dearka out on a date today." Mirillia spoke up.

"Good, I'm glad that you all are making progress so far. What about you Luna? Have you decided on a plan of action yet?' Cagalli said and looked to the girl.

"Actually, I was planning on asking Shinn to go to the beach with me. I'm going to tell him that I wanted us to talk about our 'relationship' and such." Luna replied.

"Good, very good. Alright, everyone get to work!" Cagalli ordered.

"Wait, what happened last night with you and Athrun?" Meyrin asked.

"Um, we just talked. He tried to fool me with a lousy disguise but I saw right through him." Cagalli said absently, trying to dismiss the subject.

"He what!? Why would he use a disguise unless he wanted to find out what we were planning?" Meyrin asked and the girls sat back down to listen.

"Well, he did ask about gangs in the area, and that's when I knew it was him. Plus even with the contacts and wig it still looked like him. He also had a really bad Italian accent." Cagalli said. Thinking about it now almost made her laugh, but she had to hold it in front of the girls.

"Well that was kinda lame don't you think? Is that all? What did he do after you exposed him?" Flay asked.

"We actually talked. He asked if I had heard anything from The Reapers and I replied that Jerry told me Mwu, Gilbert, and Andy were talking about Rau getting shot, but they didn't seem to want revenge for it. After that we…discussed other gang-related topics, although I didn't give anything away and neither did he." She half-lied.

The conversation went a little deeper than that, sure they discussed "gang-related topics" for a while, but then it got personal after they both had a few beers. She wasn't about to reveal that, however.

The girls seemed to sense that she was telling the whole truth, but no one wanted to call her on it, instead they let her change the subject.

"Stellar, what about your date with Shinn? You said he didn't spill anything even after you loaded him up with beers, how was he reacting?" she asked.

"He was acting pretty normal Stellar supposes, we danced a lot. Kira cut him on the cheek and it was scarring. He said it was nothing but Stellar knows he was hiding something. After a few hours he said he needed to leave, but he acted really scared. Stellar thinks he was afraid of what Kira would do once he got home." The blonde Cagalli look-alike replied.

Cagalli nodded. "I'm not surprised, although I didn't expect him to get back out there after everything that happened. It just keeps making me think that maybe they're playing the same game we are." She said.

The girls looked solemn as they thought about what she had said. If both gangs were playing the same game, it would be that much harder not to fall in love- and lose it all.

"All I can say is watch your back, guard your heart, and protect your sisters. If you can bring me proof that they're planning the same thing as us, we'll need to find a way to either stop them or play harder. Keep a lookout, girls." She said and dismissed them.

She sighed as she watched them leave to do their duties. Lacus gave her a knowing look, and she knew that she would tell the girl the truth about what happened with Athrun last night. All of it.

'_Lacus is smart and strong enough to guard her feelings, so I'm not too worried about her interacting with Kira. Flay only lusts after him and would never jeopardize this gang or the mission. Stellar is much the same, too innocent to really realize the costs even though she's a ruthless killer. Milly and Luna are really the only problems. If they don't get their heads out of the clouds and back into the game I'll have to take them out of the mission. Meyrin is smart and knows what she's doing, so I'll mainly leave Athrun to her…wouldn't it be terrible if I ended up falling in love with him while telling the girls to guard their hearts?' _she thought and sighed again.

* * *

Athrun looked at himself in the mirror. After opening the package from Meyrin he took a shower to wash the make-up and spray-on tan off. Then he pondered Meyrin's reason for giving him a leather jacket the night Cagalli was waiting, dressed up, at the bar for him.

'_Are they playing the same game as us? There's no way this can be coincidence…I should tell the others to watch out in case they are. Maybe Shinn could do some spying and see what their intentions are. That is, if he survived the night with Kira.' _He thought and winced.

He thought about how mad Kira had looked, and he remembered that haunting look of jealousy in his friend's eyes. Could Kira really be falling for Shinn? This was turning into a disaster already, and Athrun didn't want his friend to get caught up in it.

He sighed and combed through his blue locks to get them semi-decent. If Meyrin wanted to play games at least, he would play right back. He smirked and winked, then sighed and chuckled as he left his bathroom in search of his friend.

* * *

Yzak glared at his reflection in the mirror, remembering Dearka's crack about the Playboy magazine. He wasn't gay. He wasn't even bisexual. He liked women; he just didn't ogle them 24/7 like his friend. At least that's what he kept telling himself.

He growled and fixed the part in his hair before pulling on his gray tee. His dark-blue jeans were loose but not too loose. He had on his shark-tooth necklace that he always wore and slipped on his brown flip-flops before cracking his knuckles and going out in search of his favorite punching bag- I mean best friend.

* * *

Shinn woke up in an empty bed. The ice-pack Kira used last night was lying on the nightstand beside the bed. He groaned and reached for it. He could barely remember their confrontation last night, except that he tried to steer the other man away from torturing him by trying to turn him on but it didn't work. Then it went black. He didn't know what Kira did with him after that.

He sighed and slowly sat up, trying to see if there were any new bruises. After discovering none he stood up, wobbled a little, then straightened. He noticed the door to the bathroom slightly ajar and opened it further to reveal a change of clothes for him and a note from Kira.

_I'll deal with you later. Don't go anywhere unless I authorize it. _

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Shinn mumbled and fumbled with the clothes. It was a dark-blue tee that he liked, with the name of his favorite band and their symbol. He pulled the jeans up and splashed his face with cold water before going to the tangled mess of hair atop his head.

* * *

Dearka smirked and winked slyly at the mirror. Then he got into another "sexy" pose, pretending that the mirror was some hot girl. He sighed and then continued fixing up his hair. He had on a tan tee that accentuated his dark skin, along with matching cargo shorts. He sprayed himself with Axe, grabbed his favorite Playboy magazine (Swimsuit Edition) and braced himself for another beating from his less-than-willing-to-admit-he-was-gay friend.

* * *

Rey's emotionless eyes surveyed his appearance in the mirror. His hair was good enough not to be bothered with. His skin was the same pale as always. His eyes were lifeless. He had on a yellow tee with blue jeans and a brown "bracelet" (I dunno what you call the wrist jewelry that guys wear so whatever).

He looked plain enough that you couldn't see the raw emotion he hid so well. Inside he was hurting for the death of his father, who he barely knew except as the one who abused his Godfather. However, behind the shell he was relieved that his father would no longer be around to ask questions about the gang and ask him to do "favors" which usually ended up bad for his friends.

He was really a nice guy inside, but decided to hide it behind a thick wall of unemotional hatred.

He brushed his bangs out of his face and then left.

* * *

Kira looked at the face in the mirror, recognizing the hard edge to his features and the cold darkness in his eyes but not liking what he saw. He glanced at Shinn's clothes on the counter, and then at the boy who was sleeping soundly in his bed.

He sighed and looked back at his reflection. His chocolate locks were combed and spiked. His skin was tanned form being out in the sun. He had on a black tee that had a witty quote on the front in white. His pants hung loosely around his thin frame, hiding the various knives he had- just in case.

He was going to see Lacus today.

* * *

Nicol combed his green hair into a more casual appearance. His eyes were alight as usual with life. He had on a green shirt, darker than his hair, which said something about saving the forest on it. His camouflage cargo shorts went nicely with the shirt, as well as the brown shoes he wore with it.

He sighed as he thought about the recent events. His talk with Athrun was refreshing, but he still felt that something dark was looming upon them.

'_So much has happened already. What is it for? What is it worth? Why did I even join this gang? Oh right, to stop them from destroying each other. I don't think it's working so well though…at least with us on Operation: Lust I could play Cupid until they all realize that fighting solves nothing…' _he thought with a small smile and then left.

* * *

"Alright guys, what have you accomplished?" Kira asked as the men gathered in the living room.

There was a pause before Athrun spoke up.

"Cagalli said that she heard through the grapevine about The Reapers." He said and they all looked to him with interest.

"What did she hear?' Kira asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Just that Mwu, Andy, and Durandal were talking about Rau's death. They didn't seem to want revenge. I didn't think they would, since they're not really a gang but individuals set to keep everything in balance and to hold the laws and rules of Gang Life." Athrun replied.

"The Guardians, of course. I was just concerned about what they would do once they learned the truth of Rau's death and the circumstances surrounding it. Well, so far it looks like we're in the clear, but I still want you guys to look out for any move they might make. I want to know if their minds change or they form a course of action, got it?" Kira said.

The men nodded and agreed.

"What else did you get out of her?' Kira asked Athrun casually, although already knowing about her kiss.

Dearka whistled and smirked at Athrun who rolled his eyes.

"We just talked, even after a few beers she wouldn't give me anything. I didn't say anything either, we mostly discussed things that we heard, really. And then…before I left…she kissed me. Strange really, she turned away and I thought she was blushing, but I just left." Athrun replied.

Gasps of shock resounded in the room.

"Dude! You didn't take advantage of that!? C'mon Athrun what kind of man are you!?" Dearka burst.

Yzak hit him upside the head and snarled, "Shut up you perv."

"The decent kind, Dearka, unlike you. I didn't know what her intentions were so I just stayed out of it." The bluenette said and glanced at Kira whose eyes were narrowed and dark.

Shinn glanced at Athrun and Kira while Yzak and Dearka fought and Nicol tried to get them to stop, as usual.

"Alright, alright, chill. Shinn, you went out with Stellar, get anything useful out of her?" Kira asked in a hard tone.

"He what? When did he go out with Stellar?" Dearka asked while the others turned surprised faces on Shinn who glared at them.

"Not really, she wouldn't say anything, even when she was drunk, like Cagalli. Nothing happened either, we were just dancing." Shinn said, looking into Kira's eyes the whole time.

The tension in the air soon grew thick as an awkward silence enveloped them while Shinn and Kira held a glaring contest.

Kira won. "Then you'll all have to try harder. I have reason to believe that they might be planning the same thing as us. If that's so, we'll need a way to catch them off-guard so we can get the upper hand. If you hear or see anything that seems like they're trying to seduce us tell me immediately. And don't fall prey to their charms, either." He said and looked hard at Dearka who grinned sheepishly.

"Shinn, Athrun, Nicol, you guys stay here, the rest of you get a move on." Kira ordered. Yzak, Dearka, and Rey left while Shinn, Athrun, and Nicol stood and walked over to where Kira was standing.

"What do you think, Athrun?" he asked his friend.

"It's possible they could have their own Operation: Lust going on. Meyrin sending me that jacket the night I try to seduce Cagalli who was all dressed up and waiting for _someone_ doesn't look like a coincidence to me, but planned." He replied. Kira nodded.

"What about you, Nicol?" he asked.

"I agree with Athrun. However, they may have something else up their sleeves. I don't think we should underestimate them any longer." The boy said.

"True, and that's why I'm sending you, Shinn, to do some spying. No dates this time, though, some _real_ spy work." Kira responded.

"Yes sir." Shinn answered.

"Nicol, I want you to go with him and do your own spying, alright?" Kira said.

"Okay, will do." Nicol replied happily. Kira had a feeling that Nicol was secretly meeting with Lacus to plot a mostly harmless plan of getting both gangs to stop fighting. The purpose of sending Nicol and Shinn together was for Nicol to keep an eye on the ever-wandering boy and for Shinn to watch for anything suspicious between Nicol and Lacus as well.

They both seemed to understand their roles in the spy job because they glanced at each other before leaving to get ready.

"You really think he's planning something with Lacus? After all of this?" Athrun asked him.

"Especially after this. They'll both want to let their friends know that this is only tearing us apart. I'm not mad at either of them for this, I understand, but if it gets any farther than harmless planning I may have to take action. I'm not the same Kira, they should know that by now." He said coldly.

Athrun nodded and left, leaving Kira standing there, contemplating the many betrayals and schemes within both gangs.

This was hardly the beginning of the Pokitknives versus Bloodlust gang rivalries. Before the Bargain plan there were rumors that Nicol and Lacus were meeting and discussing ways to get the other gang members to "kiss and make up", to end the gang wars.

Although Kira knew that Nicol only joined his gang to somehow stop the war, the same reason Lacus joined the Pokitknives, he didn't actually think they would take it this far. However, he could understand since a lot of stuff had happened before this that threatened the very bonds of blood between siblings and love between partners.

At first they weren't really looking to get anyone hurt, but after every fight, every scheme, every betrayal, the wounds went deeper until they were here, on the brink of murdering each other for victory over the other.

He sighed and took out his cell phone.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Hey guys, yes I'm still alive and kicking! I'm sooo sorry for the slow update on this and my other Gundam Seed fics, but I seem to have gotten the dreaded Writer's Block disease which I can't seem to shake. However, fear not! For this is summer, the time where I have nothing else better to do than sit in front of my computer and write stories until my fingers fall off and my eyes pop out of their sockets! So be on the lookout for more updates! Oh, and remember to review and tell me what you think! As you know any suggestions are welcome! Also, if anyone can see any similarities between the girls and the guys looking in the mirror I'll dedicate the next chappy to you (just look at the names and when I present them)! Peace out!-**


	16. Chapter 16: Making Plans

**Chapter 16: Making Plans**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own the characters but I own the plot of this fic and the names of the gangs and missions.**

_Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait, but I'm whipping out updates as fast as I can while I have the time off, so hopefully this chappy will make up for the wait! Thanks to all my loyal fans who have kept up with me this far, this one is dedicated to you guys! And also thanks to all those who took a guess at the mirror question!_

* * *

Lacus's phone rang and she checked the Caller I.D. before answering.

It was Kira.

"Hello?" she asked, her heartbeat fluttering as she heard his voice.

"_Lacus, it's me, Kira. Look, I was just wondering if we could talk…things are kinda messed up right now and…would you like to have lunch with me?" _he stammered out.

"Oh, um, sure. When and where?" she asked and nodded to Flay who smirked.

"_The Scarlet Café around noon." _He answered.

"Alright then, I'll meet you there." She replied.

"_Cool. See you there." _He told her and hung up. She snapped her phone shut and turned to Flay.

"He wants to have lunch at the Scarlet Café around noon. Meet up with him on his way there." She told the girl.

"Got it. Good luck." Flay told her and smiled before strutting away.

"You too!" Lacus called. Flay waved a hand and kept walking down the street.

* * *

Mirillia dialed the familiar number on her phone and twirled her skirt as she waited for him to answer.

"_Yo, Dearka here, wazzup?" _the blond asked.

Milly giggled. "Nothing much, I was just wondering if you wanted to go out with me today." She said.

"_Milly? I didn't know it was you. You wanna go out? Where?" _Dearka asked, sounding confused and suspicious.

"I dunno, maybe you can take me to lunch at the Scarlet Café, how about around noon?" she said.

"_Uh, sure, I'll meet you there. Look, I'm sorry about all that happened, I really didn't mean to hurt you but-," _Dearka began but Milly cut him off.

"You can apologize later at lunch, besides, I understand, the girls roughed you and Shinn up, of which I'm sorry for. But I want us to start anew, ya know? Forget about all that's happened." She said.

"_Alright babe, we'll talk about it at lunch. See ya later." _He said and she giggled again.

"Bye." She said and they hung up.

She slipped the Classical Musicians CD along with the letter into the mailbox and grinned as she strutted down the street.

* * *

Athrun drove down the highly-traveled road, speeding despite knowing cops were around every corner. They never caught Athrun Zala speeding. Never.

He glanced down at the leather jacket he was wearing, rereading Meyrin's letter over in his mind.

_Dear Athrun,_

_I saw this while out shopping and thought it suited you, since I practically mutilated your other one, sorry about that, by the way. Anyways, I just couldn't resist buying it for you; I hope it's the right size. It doesn't have any mini cameras or tracking devices in it, or anything else you could think to check for. It's not set to explode the moment you put it on, either. Despite things heating up between our gangs, I think we could still maintain a friendship. Granted one moment we're trying to kill each other and the next we're exchanging polite pleasantries over dinner doesn't exactly fit, but hopefully this will all end soon and we won't always be fighting each other._

_Sincerely,_

_Meyrin Hawke_

She had signed it in neat, flowing cursive and had kissed it with red lipstick. He had been bewildered at what she had written, and unsure of what her intentions were.

He checked the jacket over twice before he was satisfied that there was nothing wrong with it. When he went to try it on he noticed that it fit perfectly, almost like it had been tailored to fit him.

He frowned. How would she know the exact size and fit? He shook his head at a girls' uncanny ability to do almost everything perfect. It creeped him out a little.

He reached in his pocket and held his phone in his hand for a moment, contemplating his decision. Whatever the Pokitknives were up to, he was on a mission of his own, and he couldn't hesitate or else it would fail and they would fall to them.

He dialed her number and waited for her to answer.

"_Meyrin here." _

He smirked. "Meyrin, it's me, Athrun. I just wanted to thank you for the jacket." He told her.

"_Oh? Well, you're welcome. I thought it suited you, and I wasn't sure if you had gotten a new one yet, since it's starting to get cold." _She said.

"I haven't, actually, so thanks for thinking of me. However, I have to wonder what exactly motivated you the most to send it to me." He said, prying for answers.

"_Nothing really, I was out shopping and just saw it, practically calling my name. There was a female version but I already have a few jackets of my own, but I figured you'd probably need one, and if not, you could give it to one of the other guys. I know, kinda weird to do when we're involved in a war, but I wanted to make up for some of the crazy stuff going on." _She answered carefully.

He scowled; she wasn't going to let anything slip.

"Well, thanks, I really appreciate it. In fact, I'd like to treat you to dinner some time, what do you think?" he asked, putting as much persuasion and charm into his voice.

"_Dinner? I'm not sure if that would work, but what do you have in mind?" _she asked, a bit cautiously.

"Maybe O'Riellys, tonight around seven." He answered.

"_I think that'll work, but you really don't have to, I really only bought it impulsively." _She said.

"Well I just want to thank you properly. So we're meeting there tonight?" he asked to make sure, grinning like a fool at his plan.

"_Yep, sounds good then. I have to go, but I'll see you then." _She replied.

"Alright, bye." He said and they hung up.

He dialed another number and waited for an answer.

* * *

Shinn sat in his room, packing some things he would need later on that day. Nicol was going over some plans and blueprints at his desk, getting prepared.

They heard "Defy You" by The Offspring play as Shinn's phone rang. He looked at the Caller I.D. and recognized Luna's number, he frowned and answered.

"Hello?"

"_Hey Shinn, it's me, Luna." _The girl said.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked, glancing at Nicol who glanced at him briefly and then returned to his work.

"_Well, I know things have been rather shaky, but I wanted to see if you'd like to go to the beach with me today, you know, to kind of get away and relax, it's such a pretty day." _She replied.

"I'm not sure, Luna. Last time…I just don't think it would be a good idea." He answered. It was hard to tell her that, because they both knew it was a lie. Shinn wanted badly to get out and spend some time with her, but he knew that Kira would probably literally kill him if he stepped out of line one more time. He was still awaiting punishment for going out with Stellar the night before.

"_Oh. Are you sure? It's not a date or anything, and I promise I'll be alone. The others are doing a bit of shopping today. You could even invite Kira, I don't mind." _She said, sounding a bit desperate.

The irony stung him like a slap, like a cut. He remembered when he was at Andy's Guns and Ammo shop and how desperate he had seemed, only to get captured and tortured. It seemed that now the tables have been turned.

"Uh, let me see, Luna. What time did you want to go?" he asked, feeling sorry for her.

"_In the afternoon, maybe around one. I just wanted to enjoy the day, it seems a waste to stay cooped up inside, you know?"_ she said.

"Yeah, I'll call you back, okay? There's something I have to do first." He told her.

"_Okay, talk to you later." _She said cheerily and hung up.

He stared at his phone, confused.

He glanced at Nicol who was finished with the plans.

"I'm going to talk to Kira real quick." He told the green-haired boy.

Nicol smiled and nodded. "Okay, I'll get things ready." He answered.

Shinn smiled back and walked out of the room and towards Kira's. He knocked once and poked his head in. Kira was putting some money into his wallet and glanced at Shinn as he came in.

"What is it?" he asked, not looking at the boy.

"Um, Luna called and-," Shinn began but Kira cut him off.

"You're not seeing her." He said with finality.

"But she just wants to go to the beach and-," he was cut off again as Kira turned around, a hard edge to his face.

"I said you're not going, I don't care the circumstances." He snapped and strode past him.

"Even if you're invited as well?" Shinn asked and gave him a pointed look.

Kira stopped next to him, brows furrowed. "She invited me as well?" he asked doubtingly.

"She said that she didn't mind if you wanted to come along, but that she just wanted to enjoy the day. It seems harmless enough…" he said and trailed off, looking away.

Kira raised an eyebrow. "What time?" he asked.

"Around one." Shinn answered. He tried to hide the pleading look, because he knew that Kira wouldn't think of letting him go if he really wanted to, but he just couldn't help wanting to see Luna again.

"I dunno, Shinn. I still need to punish you for going out with Stellar without my permission last night. Letting you run around with Luna, whether I'm there or not, wouldn't exactly reinforce the fact that you're not involved with this mission and to keep your dick in your pants." Kira snapped again, agitated still.

Shinn gasped and blushed, taking a step back and glaring half-heartedly at the older man.

"Fine then, I'll just stay here and waste away, maybe I'll drive myself insane imagining all the ways you could punish me and when it might happen." He snapped back and began to walk away, furious as well.

Kira gripped his arm hard and Shinn hissed, turning back to glare at him.

"No, you're going to stick with what I told you earlier and go with Nicol. However, now we don't have to wonder where we should go. Call Luna back and tell her you can go. I have an idea." Kira said darkly and let go, pushing Shinn forward.

Shinn glared at him again and growled, stalking away back towards his room. He couldn't refuse, because he was already on thin ice, but he was so angry he almost didn't care about the consequences.

He stormed into his room where Nicol was finished packing and looked at him quizzically as he snatched his phone and dialed Luna's number. He closed his eyes and steadied his breathing, calming himself.

Kira leaned against the doorframe and Nicol gave him a puzzled look.

"Luna? Hey, it's Shinn. I'll meet you at the beach at one." Shinn said. She said something and he looked confused, and then turned reluctantly to Kira with a neutral expression.

"Tell her I'm letting you go alone." Kira told him and smirked. Shinn's glare returned and he opened his mouth to reply when Kira glared back, straightening. Shinn held up the phone again and turned away.

"No, he won't be coming." He said, his voice strained from trying to remain calm. "I'm fine, I just wanna get out of here, it's crazy." He replied to another question.

He laughed and Kira scowled and Shinn smirked at him and sat down on his bed, planning on continuing the conversation with Luna just to tick Kira off more, but a hard look from his boss kept him from doing so.

"Alright, I'll see you there." He said and then hung up.

"What's the plan?" Nicol asked, trying to keep his curiosity in check.

"I'm going to meet Luna at the beach and have a little chat while you and Shinn make sure no one else is there." He said, although they both knew there was more to it than that.

Shinn glared at him more and Nicol nodded, glancing at the other boy.

"Go ahead to the beach and stake it out, I have some stuff to do and I'll join you later." Kira ordered and gave Shinn a knowing look. Nicol nodded and started gathering the stuff. Shinn reluctantly got up and helped.

As Kira was walking out of the door his phone rang, he answered it. "Hello?"

"_It's me, Athrun. I have some good news." _The bluenette said.

"Good, so do I." Kira answered as he unlocked his car.

"_Well, I called Meyrin up, hoping to maybe weasel some stuff out of her, but she wouldn't tell me anything except she thought the jacket suited me and stuff, but I'm treating her to dinner tonight around seven, to thank her." _Athrun told him.

"Good, I'm going on a lunch date with Lacus and then meeting with Luna to have a little chat. Shinn and Nicol will stake out the beach and see if anyone's home at their base." Kira replied.

"_Cool, looks like we're going strong then. How's Shinn taking all this?" _Athrun asked.

"Not too well, but I'll put him in his place later. I want him to experience what it's like to wait and see if he goes insane or not." Kira answered, more amused than he should be.

"_Just don't scar the boy too much, he's already close to mutiny, and he's still messed up. I think torturing him wouldn't exactly help much." _Athrun told him cautiously.

"Who said anything about torturing him?" Kira asked, speeding down the road.

"_Well, whatever you're going to do to him, make sure he survives, body _and_ mind, please." _Athrun told him.

"I will." Kira said.

"_Well, I just wanted to let you know my plans, good luck with yours." _Athrun said.

"Same." Kira replied and they hung up.

He parked and got out of his car, he glanced around and saw a familiar car, it looked like Dearka's, but he just shook his head. A lot of people had that type of car.

"Kira!" he heard a familiar voice call out. He turned and saw Flay strutting over in a too-tight tube-top and too-short black skirt. He resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow at her outrageous outfit and simply waited until she stopped close to him.

"Whatcha doin' here?" she asked, chewing some gum.

"I should ask the same, where's your john? Did he leave already?" he asked coldly. She resisted the urge to glare and simply smirked.

"Oh come on, Kira, you know I only have eyes for you. Then again, maybe you're taking Shinn out on a romantic little lunch date. I wonder who the man is in that relationship." She snapped, smiling.

He glared at her and she sighed and held up her hands. "Look, I don't wanna know or even care about that one; I'm just looking out for you. The way he killed Rau, I thought he was gonna start killing everyone. You should really watch your back, Kira." She said, all anger gone.

"Why, you hiding a knife?" he asked, still glaring.

"No, of course not. But he might be." She said, looking concerned.

"He knows better than to try anything with me, as should you." He warned her.

She looked away, hurt. She really liked Kira, but she didn't like it when he was this cold. Everyone always made jokes about her being a whore, when really she never thought of doing anything like that.

"Well, I can tell when I'm unwelcome, so I'll let you have lunch with whomever you're having lunch with. I'm sorry to disturb you." She mumbled and walked away, not even putting a sway to her hips like she usually did.

His features softened and he sighed, but didn't go after her, he was late for his date now.

He entered the café and glanced around until he spotted Lacus and strode over to her table. As he casually scanned the café in case of any danger he noticed mousy-brown and bleach-blond hair.

His step faltered as he noticed Milly and Dearka sitting together, but he quickly looked back to Lacus who had just noticed him and was smiling.

'_He probably had the same idea, it's just coincidence, they couldn't pull anything since we're both here.' _he thought and smiled back at her as he sat down.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey, thanks for inviting me." She said pleasantly, seeming to glow in his presence.

He nodded and smiled genuinely, forgetting all about Flay and Shinn and anything else, only staring into her baby blue eyes.

She blushed a little and stared into his as well. They didn't say anything for a few moments, until a waitress came over and asked for their order.

* * *

"Hey, isn't that Lacus and Kira?" Dearka asked as he watched his boss come in.

"Huh? Where?" Milly asked, cautiously glancing around the small café.

"Over by the window near the entrance. Wonder what they're doin' here." Dearka said questioningly, although he already knew that Kira was planning to call Lacus to ask her to lunch. _'Well, this is certainly a coincidence…' _he thought suspiciously.

"Oh, now I see them. That's odd, of course, us being here together is a bit odd as well, but I never really expected them to make their relationship public." Milly replied nonchalantly. _'Why didn't Lacus mention this? Maybe she didn't want us to show up and ruin it…does Dearka know why Kira is here?' _she asked herself and glanced at him suspiciously.

Dearka almost spit out his drink at her statement, and when he was finished choking and she stopped fussing over him he asked, "What relationship? What are you talking about?" desperately trying to cover for his friend and their plan. If Milly caught on they were up to something, he'd get skinned.

"Oh, didn't you know? They had sex when we were captured. Didn't he tell you?" Milly asked, putting a pinch of surprise in her voice and searching his face for a reaction.

Dearka's eyes widened, but he quickly reverted back to a somewhat neutral expression and cleared his throat.

"No, but then again, it's none of my business, really." He replied.

"Oh, I just thought you guys would tell each other that kind of stuff." Milly hinted, drawing Dearka in with the bait.

"Why would we?" Dearka asked, trying to keep on guard. He kept glancing at Kira, looking for an answer as to why they were both here with members of the opposite gang.

Milly shrugged and sipped at her drink. "I dunno, some people do that." She said, hiding her disappointment.

"Well, maybe girls blab that kind of stuff, but us guys are a bit more private." Dearka said and smirked.

Milly gave him a hard look. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked angrily.

"Uh, well," Dearka stammered, sweat-dropping as he realized he said something wrong. "I just meant that guys don't really get that close to each other, and don't like to talk too much about our personal lives. It wasn't an insult or anything, really, Milly." He said, trying to put on a charming smile.

They always got into these fights, because Dearka would slip and say something bad or rude about women and then try to correct himself, but would only make it worse.

Milly sighed and tried to maintain her composure. She was on a mission and she wasn't going to fail. She wanted, _needed_, to prove to Cagalli that she was still useful.

"Okay then, I'll just pretend you didn't say that." She said smoothly. _'I'll just have to think of another way to make him slip.'_ She thought.

Dearka cleared his throat again and glanced over at Kira again. He was laughing while Lacus was giggling and blushing. _'Odd, I haven't heard him actually laugh in months…this could be bad…'_ he thought.

"So, I'm really glad you decided to come here with me. Things are finally starting to calm down a bit, so I thought it would be the perfect time to restart our relationship." She said and fluttered her eyelashes while smiling wryly.

Dearka was a bit taken a-back by this but soon recovered. "Yeah, true. That's what I was thinking." He replied with a smile of his own. _'Wow, that was easy…almost too easy…'_ he said to himself.

"Well that's good. Maybe we can meet again sometime then." She said and giggled.

Dearka smiled wider. He liked it when Milly laughed. "Yeah, that's a great idea. Maybe we can go to the park." He said.

"Oh yeah, it's been really nice out lately, I've been wanting to go to the park." She said.

"Cool, how about this Saturday. We can meet there." Dearka told her.

"Okay, sounds great, I don't think I have anything planned. What time? Around noon, like today?" she asked.

"Uh, sure, we can get some ice cream and corndogs." He said and they laughed. Their first date was at the park, and they got corndogs, Dearka got mustard all over his shirt and they had laughed about it while holding hands and walking through the wooded area.

"Alright, it's a date then." Milly said and smiled sweetly. She had really enjoyed seeing Dearka again, and had to stop herself from leaning in for a kiss as their waiter handed them back their check.

"Well, see you then, call me." Dearka said as they both stood. He winked and clicked his teeth and she giggled while blushing. They hugged and then headed for the doorway, their hands on their sides, but straying towards each other.

They passed Kira and Lacus, who glanced at them both. Lacus and Milly exchanged a brief look, as well as Dearka and Kira.

* * *

"That's strange. I didn't think they'd get back together after the whole kidnapping thing." Lacus said.

"Yeah, but maybe they just wanted to talk things out, like us." Kira replied, knowing that she would probably use this opportunity to start prying for information about their latest plan.

"True." Lacus replied with a shrug and sipped her drink.

"Are you having a nice time? I'm not boring you am I?" Kira asked with a sheepish grin.

"Oh, of course not!" Lacus replied quickly and smiled. "I'm having a lot of fun. Thanks, after everything that's happened, it's good to laugh." She said with a bittersweet smile.

He frowned a bit at her expression. "Yeah, it's been a bit crazy, hasn't it?" he said.

"Yeah, but things seem to be settling down, so that's good." She said and glanced at him.

He nodded and met her gaze, putting a sly expression on his face. She blushed and continued eating her food. He glanced at his clock, it was 12:30.

"Are you sure you don't feel weird with me?" he asked cautiously, digging for information.

"Um, not really. You're not as cold when I'm around, you're a lot easier to talk to and get along with. You act more…yourself." She said and smiled.

He frowned. "You mean like the old me." He corrected.

She smiled again. "I think deep down inside, you're still the same Kira as before. This gang stuff has just made you harder, that's all." She said.

He continued to frown. Now _she_ was entering dangerous territory.

"Well, if that's what you think, I can't deny your opinion." He said a bit harshly than he meant.

She looked a bit shocked and hurt. Her smile faded. "I'm sorry if I said something wrong. We were having such fun too." She said and pouted a little.

He managed to half-smile. "It's alright; it was nothing you said, really. I was the one that ruined it." He said.

"Maybe we should change the subject then. How is Shinn doing? He was so upset the last time we talked." She said.

"Oh, um, he's doing fine I guess." He hedged.

"Oh, that's good. I was really worried." She said. They were quiet for another moment. Kira glanced at his watch again. 12:45.

"Well, I hope you had a good time." He said and paid for lunch.

"I did, you didn't have to pay for me though." She said.

He flashed her a smile. "Of course I did, I couldn't have you paying when I was the one who asked you out now could I?" he asked and got up. He thanked the waitress who gave him a sly smile as Lacus gathered her things.

"Well, thanks for treating me, I really appreciate it, maybe we can see each other again?" she asked, wondering if she was pushing it. She bit her lip.

"Oh, uh, sure. I'll call you or you can call me. I had a lot of fun talking with you again, I'd like to do it again." He said and smiled again.

She beamed and they hugged. His lips brushed against her cheek and then he was gone.

She sighed and walked to her car.

* * *

**-Author's Note: So how was that for a comeback? I made it extra long for you guys, lol. Please review and tell me what you think, any ideas or questions are welcome! I hope you guys liked it, and stay tuned for more romance and fluff between our favorite characters. Will their plans go up in flames or will there finally be peace between the gangs? Only time will tell! Peace!-**


	17. Chapter 17: Punishment

**Chapter 17: Punishment**

**Disclaimer:**** Um…I only own the dirty parts.**

* * *

Shinn glared at the equipment he was setting up, grumbling to himself about Kira being a butthead for making him do this. Nicol glanced at him from time to time, looking as if he wanted to say something but didn't have the nerve.

Shinn stopped what he was doing and sighed, closing his eyes. He remembered being captured by the girls, and what they had discovered in his wallet. Lacus couldn't find the ring that he had bought for Luna, which might be a good thing. He knew it was too soon to be proposing, but he couldn't help it when he saw it in the window.

It was close to Valentine's Day, he had been looking for the perfect present for Luna. He saw it in the jewelry store, practically begging him to buy it despite its implications. He realized now that it was the rubies' fault. Red was Luna's favorite color. Two of the most beautiful red gems were nestled in between a gorgeous diamond on a gold band. It was too perfect.

So he got it, as expensive as it was. _'That's why I'm so ticked off, because it cost so much and I can't get that money back.' _He kept telling himself.

But he knew it was only part of the ache within his heart.

"Shinn, there she is. Did Kira say whether to talk with her first before he showed up?" Nicol said, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Um, I don't think so. He said that he was going to speak with Luna." Shinn replied sourly, not liking this one bit.

Nicol seemed to understand his mood, because he looked at the boy sympathetically. "Look, Shinn, I know you don't want to do this, but Kira commanded it. He didn't say that he was going to hurt her, maybe he just wants to speak with her about your relationship." He said, stepping close.

Shinn's expression didn't change much, and so Nicol said something he shouldn't have.

"Don't give up. He may push you to forget about your feelings, but you can't ignore them. You bought her that ring for a reason, whether you wanna admit it to yourself or Kira or not. He can't stop you from loving someone. Besides, your love might save us one day."

Shinn looked at him, surprised. _'So the rumors are true…should I tell Kira?' _he asked himself.

Nicol was giving him a somewhat pleading look, and Shinn knew that, as a little punishment he was wreaking on Kira, he wouldn't tell his Godfather the news. He smirked to Nicol and nodded.

Nicol's expression looked unsure, and he began doubting giving the teen this information.

Before he could say anything more, he heard the roar of Kira's engine and saw his Godfather step out of the Nissan, looking for them. They were atop a sand dune, hidden by the beachgoers from the parking lot and water's edge. Nicol flagged him over and he bounded up to them.

Shinn ignored him, deliberately looking anywhere but at Kira.

"We have everything set up. Luna is over there. We weren't sure whether you wanted Shinn to confront her first or not, so we were waiting until you got here." Nicol explained.

"Good. You both stay here and monitor the area. Yzak is about a mile away, searching for any other girls and keeping me in touch in case anything happens." Kira replied. Nicol nodded and Shinn continued ignoring him.

Kira, feeling sexy and sly after his encounters with Fllay and Lacus, smirked down at the boy who was sitting with his back to the dune and the beach. He walked seductively down to where Luna was, putting a swagger in his step.

When Luna saw him, smirking and looking like the devil himself, she knew that she had been tricked. _'Shinn, how could you do this to me? How could you betray me like this?' _she thought sadly, steadily getting angry.

"Well look who we have here. Where're the others?" Kira asked smoothly, using the tone of voice that made any girl (or guy) melt.

Luna managed to glare at him. She glanced around, knowing that others must be around.

"I don't know what you're talking about. This was supposed to be a meeting between myself and Shinn. He told me you weren't planning on coming." She said, clearly agitated.

"Oh really now? He told me that you wanted to meet with him, said that this was the perfect opportunity to set a trap. He's very cunning that way." Kira lied, knowing exactly what he was doing.

Shinn gasped and Nicol stopped him from standing up. They were listening to their conversation.

"What is he doing!?" Shinn whispered loudly, although he knew exactly Kira's plans.

'_He wants her to hate me, this must be my punishment. He's actually trying to make her believe I planned all this and care nothing for her…bastard.' _He thought angrily.

Nicol glanced at him with an uneasy expression. This wasn't what he expected…

Luna seemed shocked and hurt, just like Kira wanted. "You're lying, he didn't do this, it was your plan." She said, barely above a whisper.

"Sorry to have to tell you, but you're just not his type. I practically had to rip him off of Stellar last night at O'Riellys. As proud as I am to say it, it seems little Shinn was just using you the whole time." Kira confessed, unable to hide the wicked grin.

Shinn was fuming, caught between hating Kira and feeling sad about his now broken relationship with Luna. Nicol looked away, knowing that anything he might say would only make things worse.

Luna took a step back, unable to look at Kira.

"Hey, that's the way the game is played. I tried to warn you about him, Luna." Kira said, getting closer to her. He put his hand on her shoulder and Nicol had to hold Shinn back again.

Luna turned away, glaring furiously at Kira, fresh tears threatening to flow from her eyes. She didn't have the words to tell him just how she felt, how much anger, rage, and sorrow she was feeling at that moment.

She looked around, searching for the raven-haired boy that was being restrained by Nicol behind the sand dune right in front of her. Kira took another step towards her and she gave him a warning glare.

By the smirk on his face, she knew that something was wrong. She looked behind her and gasped.

The people that had filled the beach moments ago were now gone, but in their place was Yzak, a knife gleaming in his hand from the sunlight. She reached for her phone but Kira grabbed her wrist, giving her a look that sent shivers down her spine.

* * *

Rey stalked toward the building, hiding in the shadows. He motioned for Dearka to take his position near the back door as Rey took the entrance.

They moved stealthily, making no sound and being careful not to be seen. Most people were inside their office buildings surrounding the Pokitknives' Base and not paying attention to anything outside. The few cars that passed by drove too fast to notice anything unusual.

Rey set a small, black, round device against the entrance door and listened closely. There wasn't much sound. He glanced at Dearka who gave him the signal that none of the cars were there. All of the girls were out.

They moved quickly, timing their entrance so that both doors opened at the same time and closed with little sound behind the boys. They continued to move quietly and stealthily. It was a rare occasion to have no one at the base, and they didn't have much time.

Rey signaled to Dearka again and the blond went in search of the artillery room. Rey made his way to Cagalli's office, disabling cameras as he went. They already cut the outside cameras.

Rey used the hairpin to pry open the door and slide in. He straightened and walked over to Cagalli's desk. At this point, all of the cameras were black. He looked in her drawers and found a manila folder. He opened it and grinned at his discovery.

Dearka made sure all the cameras were disabled before going into the artillery room nearby. Most of the cases holding the weapons were locked and the key was nowhere to be found. However, he managed to stack a few small boxes and packages of grenades and hand guns that were light.

He placed a small Spyware system in a dark corner that looked dusty and unnoticeable. It was linked to the Bloodlust Base and gave the boys a good view and listening ability. Then he moved the packages to the back door where he came in.

He went into the living room and planted another device in a small crevice that his hand barely fit in. Then he looked around, hoping to find some plans lying around, but everything was neat and clean.

Rey memorized all the plans in the folder, discovering that most of them were old and already won or failed, while just a few were new. He eyed the locked drawer beside him and wished he had the key.

He thought it was odd that their plans would be in an unlocked drawer where they could easily find it. He glanced from the folder to the locked drawer, suspicious.

'_What could possibly be in there that's more important than their plans? A secret weapon? The real plans with this only being a decoy? I wish I could get to it…' _he thought. He'd already tried prying it open with his hairpin like he did the door, but the locking mechanism was very different from any he's encountered.

He frowned and set the folder back in the drawer as precisely as how he found it and then placed the Spyware device in a small, darkened section of the bookshelf next to the desk.

* * *

Lacus thought about the encounter with Kira she had. She actually had fun talking and laughing with him. However, the fact that Milly and Dearka were there confused her. Kira was the one that suggested the Scarlet Café. Did Dearka suggest it also? Was it a set up?

They didn't seem to be plotting anything, and nothing happened. However, the coincidence didn't sit well with her for some reason. She knew that Milly was going to try to go back out with Dearka for the plan, but then why would Kira suddenly call her and ask her on a date?

'_They have to be planning the same thing. Why would Kira ask me out on a date at the same place Milly and Dearka planned to go?' _she thought.

She edged the accelerator a little further, pushing the speed limit- something she rarely did. As far as she remembered, no one was going to be at the base for at least an hour, because most of the girls had dates at one point during the day, and the ones that didn't were either shopping or out going through with their own plans.

As much as she liked Kira, and as much as she wanted to completely open her heart to him, she knew that he would do anything to win- including toy with her heart.

She carefully took out her cell phone and pressed the button that would call Cagalli's cell.

* * *

Shinn watched in horror as Yzak took a step closer to Luna with the switchblade. He heard Nicol gasp and turned to him, a look of betrayal displayed across his face. The boy looked shocked and apologetic, but Shinn's cold red eyes held no forgiveness.

He stood and reached into his back pocket, but Nicol grabbed his hand, snapping out of his soft shell. His expression was serious and dangerous as he glared at Shinn.

"Don't try to stop them. Unless you want to be branded a traitor and killed, sit back down. There's nothing you can do now." He told the boy in a harsh tone. He wasn't happy with the situation either, but he knew the consequences and knew that Kira had a reason for his madness.

Shinn ripped his hand out of Nicol's grasp and walked toward the parking lot, unable to take any more. Nicol saw tears on his face, tears he tried to hide by wiping them off with the back of his hand.

Kira looked up and saw Nicol, and just barely caught the top of Shinn's raven-black hair. He smirked and let Luna go.

"This is a warning. If you try to get in touch with Shinn again, I'll kill you. I know you girls are planning something, so I'll give you a chance to tell us." Kira told her.

She simply glared at him and glanced at Yzak's blade warily. He took another step closer.

"Speak now, or I'll mark you like your friend Milly. You should be very grateful to us for not killing you here and now like we could. It seems my Godfather is being quite gracious, but I'm afraid I lack that emotion." Yzak hissed.

Kira chuckled darkly. "He's right you know. If you want to escape unharmed, you might as well give us some information."

"I'm not telling you anything, just like Milly wouldn't tell you anything. We're not like you men, who'll squeal at every attempt at torture." She spat. She was breathing heavily and reached for her own blade slowly, perfectly willing to fight tooth and nail against the two monsters surrounding her.

Kira glared and grabbed her wrist again, reaching behind her to snatch her knife. She gasped and tried to hide the blush at his bold movements.

"Fine then, if you don't want to talk, I'll just assume you have a death wish." He said and pointed her own blade at her neck.

"One more chance, Lunamaria." He told her darkly.

She held her stance, not wanting to back down or show them fear. Inside, she was screaming and crying, wanting to run as far away as possible.

"She's not going to talk, I say we gut her." Yzak told him.

"No, I want Cagalli to realize just who she's messing with. Killing one of her girls is too easy." Kira replied, glaring coldly at the girl in his grasp. He saw the hint of fear and sorrow behind her hatred.

He yearned to kill her. Every fiber of his being; from the jealousy he felt towards her because of Shinn, to the annoyance he felt that none of the girls seemed willing to spill their secrets, were screaming at him to shove the blade into her throat and be done with it.

But he couldn't do it. As cold and heartless as he had become, he couldn't kill someone he had once considered his friend. He couldn't take her life away, couldn't take away all the possibilities. So he simply gave her a reminder of what she had gotten into when she joined his sister's gang.

* * *

Cagalli sat in her car, outside of Rockstar Bar. She replayed the other night within her mind over and over. She started thinking of what her friends had told her. It was too coincidental.

She went to the bar that night specifically for Athrun, even though she tried not to show it. It was part of her plan, part of Operation: Heartbreak. He was there alright, disguised as an Italian. At fist she thought it was just for him to get information from her, but as she sat thinking it over, she realized that he was there for her just as she had been there for him.

Before she could think any more about it, her phone rang. She saw Lacus' name and answered it quickly.

"Hey, what's up?" she asked.

"_Cagalli, I have a bad feeling about all of this. Kira called and asked me out to lunch at the Scarlet Café, and Milly and Dearka were there. Nothing happened, but I have a feeling that they were trying to set us up or something. Have you heard from Meyrin?" _the girl asked.

"Meyrin was going to ask Dearka to lunch at the Scarlet Café. What time did he call you?" Cagalli said, thinking this over carefully.

"_Early in the morning, around nine I think." _Lacus answered.

"Mey called him around that same time, I think. I haven't heard from her since though. Have you heard from Luna? She was going to go to the beach and meet Shinn there." Cagalli told her.

"_Huh, that's weird. No, I haven't heard from her either. Fllay told me that she caught Kira before he went into the café and said he was real cold to her. Not really out-of-the-ordinary, but he was really sweet to me, like how he used to be." _Lacus replied.

"That is strange. You call Mey and I'll call Luna. You and Mey can think about the café incident. I have a bad feeling about Luna's situation. Oh, and is anyone at the base? It seems that everyone has plans today and I didn't think to check to see who would be staying behind." Cagalli said.

"Okay, I'll call. That's another thing I'm worried about, I don't think anyone is there, and with all these events going on, I think someone might go down, I'm heading back there right now. I hope I don't get a ticket." Lacus mumbled that last line and Cagalli smiled.

But then she frowned. "Alright, be careful, I'll track down the others. Oh, and remember we're getting a new addition today. It's probably about time I picked her up from the airport." Cagalli said.

"Oh yeah, I'll be careful, don't worry." Lacus answered.

"Alright, see you later." Cagalli said.

"Bye." Lacus said and they hung up.

Cagalli turned the car on and drove out of the parking lot, towards the airport. She pushed the button for Luna's cell, suddenly worried about the lovesick girl.

* * *

_Buzz!_

_Buzz!_

_Buzz!_

"_Hi, you've reached Luna Hawke. I can't answer right now so please leave your name and number and I'll try to call you back ASAP!"_

* * *

**-Author's Note: Uh oh! Hey look, I think I have somewhat of a plot forming! (At least for the next couple of chappies) Please review and tell me what you think! Any questions, comments, suggestions or ideas are highly appreciated and welcomed! I'll try to update soon (and it'll be easy since there's a lot I need to do, I just had to end it here because it was a great cliffy!)-**


	18. Chapter 18: Heartbroken

**Chapter 18: Heartbroken **

**Disclaimer:**** I only own the OCs and –plot- of this fic.**

_I made a mistake, when Cagalli and Lacus were talking; I meant Milly and instead somehow kept putting Meyrin. Sorry for the confusion, I just realized that halfway through this chapter, eh heh._

* * *

Shinn walked along the Boardwalk, unable to leave the beach because Nicol drove here. He contemplated hijacking Kira's car, but the Godfather had the keys and wasn't about to hand them over.

He walked with his hands curled into fists and his head down; furious about everything that's happened. He would never forgive Kira, Nicol, Yzak, hell; he'd never forgive any of them! How could they do this to him?

Why did Nicol tell him not to give up on his love for Luna if he knew Kira would only destroy the already mutilated relationship they shared? Why would Kira do this if their current plan was Operation: Lust? How would breaking Luna's heart help their cause?

He didn't care, he was so angry he began thinking of ways to sabotage the whole thing. He'd go to Cagalli and tell her their plans; he'd let her into the base, he steal Kira's plans and anything of value and hand them over to her!

'_No, that wouldn't help anything and would only make things worse for everyone. I have to get back at him personally, but I can't ruin the plan.' _he thought.

He stopped and sat down on a bench, wondering what Kira was doing with Luna, and not wanting to know at the same time.

'_This doesn't make sense.' _

* * *

"This doesn't make sense, what could they be planning?" Lacus asked the other girl.

"_I dunno, but I agree, it sounds a lot like our own plan. We have to find out for sure though. You said you're on your way back to the base?" _Milly replied.

"Yeah, they might take this opportunity to sneak in. I have a feeling they're on to us." Lacus told her.

"_Yeah, I thought that too when I saw you guys. Hey, how'd your date go anyway? Dearka and I are going to the park this Saturday." _Milly said.

"Oh, it went well. He was acting a lot nicer, kinda how he used to act. We might plan on seeing each other again. Still, I'm not so sure we should continue, at least not until we know whether they're doing the same thing or not." Lacus replied.

"_Yeah, we can talk with Cagalli once we get back, I'm almost done shopping. So she went to pick up the new girl?" _Milly asked.

"Yeah, she might be able to help us, the boys have no clue we're getting a new member, so she can do some spy work for us or something."

"_Yeah, that's what I was just thinking. Well, I'll see you later then. Be careful, Kira may have been acting sweet at lunch, but you never know when he'll go back to being cold." _

Lacus frowned sadly, squinting. "Yeah, I know, bye." she said softly. She heard Milly sigh and there was a pause, but then Milly said her goodbye and hung up.

* * *

Cagalli arrived at the airport and went inside, looking for the Pokitknives' newest member.

She spotted the girl waiting near a kiosk and waved over at her. They met halfway and then walked to Cagalli's car.

"Did you have a nice flight?" Cagalli asked her.

"Yeah, it was long, and I'm still getting used to Earth's atmosphere, but it wasn't too bad." She replied.

"Good, I'm really glad you're here, Shiho, we could really use your help." Cagalli told her as they got in.

The brunette looked over at her with a curious expression.

"Really? Have things changed since the last time we talked?" Shiho asked.

"Yeah-," Cagalli began but was cut off as her phone rang. She furrowed her brows as she saw Kira's name and answered it with a frown.

"What do you want?" she asked coldly.

"_You should tell your girls to be careful on dates, Cagalli. They might end up getting hurt." _Kira replied just as coldly.

Cagalli held in a gasp. "What are you talking about?"

"_The beach is so lovely today. The sun is shining, not a cloud in the sky. The water is warm and the sand hot. Perfect day for a swim." _He said.

"Don't use riddles with me, Kira Yamato. What the hell are you talking about!?" Cagalli snapped, racing down the road toward the beach, all the while thinking of Luna.

He laughed. _"I'd hurry before it gets late, the sharks come out for supper in the evening. Wouldn't want anyone to get hurt."_ He told her and laughed again before hanging up.

She cursed and pushed the pedal harder, gripping the wheel tightly. Shiho seemed unconcerned and was looking at Cagalli questioningly.

"I think he did something to Luna, we're going to the beach."

* * *

Lacus drove up to the base, looking around for any signs of danger. She was the only one there. She got out cautiously, but quickly headed for the door.

She unlocked it and went inside, all the while glancing around. She closed the door behind her and looked around the base. She flipped on lights and went to the basement.

She flipped the light switch when she opened the door and headed straight for the circuit breaker. She opened it and gasped. The units for the cameras were broken.

She ran out, into the Viewing Room where they could watch what was going on outside and inside of the base.

All the cameras were black.

She checked all the equipment and found they were all broken and disabled. She ran to the artillery room and discovered that some boxes of grenades and hand guns were missing.

She took out her cell phone as she went into Cagalli's office. She checked the unlocked door and made sure all the plans were still there. Then she opened the locked drawer with a set of keys she had.

Everything was inside, nothing was missing. She stared at the ring that Shinn had. The ring that must have cost a fortune and was so beautiful that any girl would flip over seeing.

"Cagalli, we have a problem."

* * *

"Hey boss, we checked out the base, disabled the cameras and confiscated some weapons. Rey found Cagalli's plans, but he thinks they're just a decoy since they were in an unlocked drawer and he couldn't get into the locked one. We placed the Spyware devices in the rooms you told us to." Dearka told him as they arrived at the small restaurant on the Boardwalk.

"Hm, that was too easy." Kira commented.

"Yeah, that's what we thought. At least we'll get to know what their plans are regardless." Dearka replied.

"Yeah, is Rey heading back to the base?" Kira asked.

"Yeah. So how'd it go?" the blonde asked, curiosity clearly strewn across his face.

"The date with Lacus went well, although I'm still concerned about the fact that Milly asked you to the same place I asked Lacus. Luna is waiting for Cagalli to rescue her, and Shinn is somewhere around here." Kira answered casually.

"Let him stew, if he can't handle it he can join her at the bottom of the sea." Yzak snorted, taking a swig out of his beer.

"That bad, huh?" Dearka asked.

"You should have told us your plans; I might have been able to stop him." Nicol said quietly.

"If I had told you Shinn would flip and you would try to dissuade me. It was better you guys not knowing." Kira told him.

"But still…" Nicol said, unable to finish his thought, even though Kira understood.

"He'll get over it, if not, I'll just have to make him." Kira said harshly.

Yzak and Dearka exchanged a look and Kira stared at the beach coldly.

* * *

Cagalli reached the beach and got out. Shiho quickly followed. Lacus had called and told her about the cameras and missing weapons. She had told her to get Fllay and Milly back home, but to tell Meyrin and Stellar to meet her at the beach. No doubt Kira and some of the boys would be here, waiting for her.

She ran to the beach and looked around, searching for her friend. Shiho scanned the area for any danger, and her eyes widened.

"Cagalli, look over at that dock." She said.

She looked and gasped, racing toward the dock where Luna was hanging from some rope dangerously close to the water.

Shiho followed her and continued searching for anything unusual. She saw some shops and restaurants along the Boardwalk that were able to view the beach and narrowed her eyes.

"Cagalli! This could be a trap! They could be in any of these shops!" she called.

"I need to get Luna! Look for the girls and tell them to search the Boardwalk!" Cagalli called back.

"We should wait until they get here!" Shiho told her.

"There's no time! The tide is coming in!" Cagalli yelled, not looking back as she bounded up to the dock.

Shiho grunted and headed toward the Boardwalk, taking out her cell phone and dialing the number Cagalli gave her.

"_Hey, we're almost there." _Meyrin said as soon as she realized it was Shiho.

"Cagalli wants you guys to search the Boardwalk for the boys. She's trying to save Luna; she's hanging over the ocean. I'm going to help her. I don't like this." Shiho told her.

"Oh my God! We'll look, and I swear if I see Kira I'll kill him with my bare hands!" Mey screeched.

"Be careful, this is definitely a trap." Shiho said. Meyrin snorted and they hung up. Shiho looked around and saw a group of men inside a restaurant, sitting at a table near the window, and looking straight at Cagalli. One of them, a brunette she assumed was Kira, stood and motioned for the others to follow.

She cursed and ran over to the dock where Cagalli was struggling to pull Luna up. The girl was unconscious and bruised, with cuts all over her.

"Cagalli! Watch out!" she called. The wind had picked up and she wasn't sure if the girl had heard her. She watched and stayed hidden as the men walked over to the dock.

She heard footsteps and whirled around to see two girls she assumed were Meyrin and Stellar.

"That was quick." Shiho commented and pointed to the scene. They hurried across the beach.

"Meyrin went faster than the numbers posted on the signs. Stellar was scared for her life but wanted to help Cagalli and Luna. Stellar is glad she gets to meet you." Stellar said and smiled.

Shiho looked at her oddly.

"She talks in third person. I'm Meyrin, Luna's sister." Meyrin explained as they ran toward the dock.

* * *

Kira saw Cagalli running on the dock towards Luna and stood, motioning for the others to stand, they walked towards the dock, but he stopped them when he saw three girls running towards the dock.

He swore and frowned. "How'd they get here so fast?" he asked.

"I dunno, but we can take 'em." Yzak said and stepped forward.

"Wait, I don't recognize that third girl. There may be others around. Go search." Kira told him.

Yzak frowned and stalked toward the other end of the Boardwalk. He glanced at Nicol and Dearka. They were outnumbered.

'_I didn't expect any other girls to show up so quickly. Who's this other girl? Is it Milly? No, her hair is too long.' _He thought and narrowed his eyes.

"That's fine; we don't need a confrontation anyway. Nicol, go find Shinn. Dearka, get Yzak, we're leaving." Kira ordered.

They nodded and left, leaving Kira to lean against the railing and watch his sister and Meyrin haul Lunamaria Hawke onto the dock and untie her as waves crashed all around them.

He smirked and left just as Cagalli looked up to see him turn and walk away.

* * *

"Hey, are you sure they only took the weapons?" Milly asked as she walked into the base, Fllay right behind her.

"As far as I can tell. They disabled the cameras all around and inside the base, so I don't know what all they did, but I'm pretty sure they broke into Cagalli's office. Nothing was taken though." Lacus told them.

"Man, we're gone for half an hour and they manage to sneak inside! One of us should have stayed behind." Fllay said and looked around.

"I just want to know how they knew we would all be gone." Milly said and glanced at Lacus.

"And why we both had lunch with the boys at the same place." Lacus added.

"And why Kira trapped Luna. This doesn't sound good at all. I hope they're alright." Fllay finished.

"Yeah, this is messed up. Meyrin and Stellar went to help Cagalli and Shiho. I wonder how many guys are there. Is anyone at the Bloodlust's base?" Milly wondered out loud.

"Even if there aren't, we can't leave the base or they'll sneak in again. We have to stay here until Cagalli and the others get back. There's no telling what the boys plan to do." Lacus told them all.

"True, but I feel useless just sitting around doing nothing!" Milly replied.

"We need to figure out what all they did while they were here. They did a crappy job hiding the fact that they were here. They must have known we'd figure it out anyway." Fllay said.

"They probably wanted us to know they were here, to scare us. It's what they did that we don't know and have to find out." Lacus replied.

"Right." The two girls replied and they began searching the base for clues.

* * *

"Shinn, come on, we have to go." Nicol told the boy.

"I'm not leaving with Kira. I'm not going back to the base." Shinn said coldly.

"What about your stuff?" Nicol asked, exasperated.

Shinn paused for a moment and then replied: "Rey will get it for me. I'm not going back, Nicol."

Nicol sighed and sat next to him. The sun was starting to set.

"Look, I know that you're hurt and betrayed, but this is gang life. I don't like it either, but we have to play along until we can do something to stop all this." Nicol told him.

"Have you and Lacus really been meeting? Have you been trying to stop the war?" Shinn asked quietly.

"Yes. Things are going too far, but you have to understand that taking revenge or leaving won't help or solve anything. You have to come back and help me reason with Kira. If anything, you have a right to question him about his actions." Nicol told him.

"How about I just kill him? That'll solve everything." Shinn said darkly.

"No that won't. Besides, you don't actually want to kill him, you're just mad. Calm down and think about the situation. If you come back all mad and throw a tantrum Kira won't listen to you, but if you calm down and talk with him about it you might have a chance at stopping him." Nicol reasoned with him.

Shinn sighed and stood, looking down at him.

"Fine, but I'm not going to kiss up to him or be nice to him, nor am I forgiving any of you." He finally said, looking at Nicol with wary hostility.

Nicol frowned but stood and lead him to the parking lot. Yzak and Dearka were already gone. Kira was leaning against his car, waiting for them.

"Shinn, get in the car. Nicol, head back to the base." Kira ordered. Shinn stood, glaring at him and unable to move towards the passenger seat.

Nicol got in his car, all the equipment already packed away in the trunk. He drove off, casting a nervous glance in their direction before leaving.

Shinn kept his eyes on the road where Nicol's car was going out of view. He was startled when Kira grabbed his face and made him look at him.

He struggled out of his grip but was pinned against the fence.

"Stop it." Kira told him, nothing about him friendly.

"You stop it." Shinn replied between clenched teeth, unable to stop the rage from showing every way possible. He tried to move his arms and legs but Kira was too strong for him, so he glared into amethyst eyes and tried to control his breathing.

Kira glared back into crimson eyes and noticed that Shinn was shaking with rage. He smirked bitterly.

"I didn't realize how much you actually cared for the slut. I thought it was just a crush." Kira said and was pleased with Shinn's angry reaction.

The boy snarled and struggled more, cussing him out.

"How dare you! What did you do to her? You better not have hurt her!" he yelled.

"Heh, she's alive, but unfortunately a bit worse for wear. She's being rescued by Cagalli right now." Kira answered and continued restraining Shinn.

"I'm going to kill you!" the boy screamed and pushed Kira back. His eyes were different. He was in SEED mode.

Kira's playful mood dropped and he glared seriously at Shinn, giving him The Look. Shinn was beyond livid, beyond angry; he yelled and threw himself at Kira, slamming him onto the top of his car.

Kira grabbed his arms and flipped him, throwing him on the ground and straddling him.

"Shinn!" he barked, tightening his grip so that Shinn cried out, unable to move his hands.

"If you don't calm down I'll hold you underwater until you're too lightheaded to remember your own name, in fact, maybe I should do that, since you clearly forgot never to challenge me unless you wish to die." He spat viciously.

Shinn stopped struggling and assessed Kira's expression. He knew he was serious.

"Get it over with then. Kill me. I can't stand it any more." Shinn replied in a broken tone, challenging him.

Kira's expression didn't soften and he said nothing. He got up and pulled Shinn up, making him stumble, and threw him towards the car.

"Get in." he ordered and got in the driver's seat. Shinn reluctantly got in and put on his seatbelt, still shaking with rage, but calmer since he realized that Kira wasn't in the mood to be playful or gracious.

* * *

"Is she alright?" Meyrin asked Cagalli as they checked over Luna.

"She's unconscious, but alive. Aside from the cuts and bruises, she's unharmed. Come on, we need to get her back to the base." Cagalli told them.

"What about Kira, we need to get him back for this!" Meyrin yelled, looking around wildly for him.

"We'll get revenge later, right now we need to figure out how all this happened." Cagalli told her darkly.

Meyrin didn't argue and helped her carry Luna to her car. They all drove off, back to the base.

Revenge was soon to come.

* * *

**-Author's note: Yeah, so I had to update it again and finish my thoughts or else I would've forgotten. So how was it? A lot more serious than before, it seems things are really starting to heat up between the two gangs. Next chapter will be just as exciting as this, maybe I'll get started on it after I upload this…any questions, comments, suggestions, and ideas are welcome and appreciated. Please review and tell me what you think. And also any time is good for blooper ideas, even though this fic is nowhere near being finished.-**


	19. Chapter 19: Revenge

**Chapter 19: Revenge**

**Disclaimer:**** Wow, I'm on a roll!**

**Kira: She doesn't own anything except OCs, gang names, and the (cough) plot (cough) of this story. I own everything else.**

**Me: Really? I thought it was the creators of the anime Gundam Seed/Destiny.**

**Kira: (sweatdrop)**

_Yeah, that's gonna be the only funny part of this whole fic, I think, although I might manage to throw in some jokes or dark humor._

* * *

When the girls got back to the base, they all tried to help in caring for Luna. They took her to the infirmary (a.k.a a tiled room with a few medical supplies and a bed) and cleaned her cuts and changed her clothes because they were wet. She was still unconscious and Meyrin was ready to go out and kill Kira, so she had to be calmed.

Lacus told Cagalli what little they had discovered about the break-in, and they all sat in the living room to discuss the events.

"Meyrin, you said you had a date with Athrun tonight, right?" Cagalli asked suddenly while they were talking.

"Yeah, I almost forgot. I probably won't go though, after what happened." She replied bitterly.

"No, this might be a chance to get some information. I want to know what's going on, do whatever is necessary to find out. Stellar, follow her and make sure none of the others are around, and keep an eye out. Lacus, no more dates with Kira unless I'm with you. Milly, we found out Dearka is a squealer, when you go out with him Saturday get as much information you can." Cagalli commanded.

"Won't they figure out our plan? Surely we can't keep this up after what they did to Luna!" Fllay cried.

"That's exactly why we have to act normal. They're trying to get to us. We have to show them that we're not easily broken. This is perfect for getting revenge. Turn the tables, girls, or they'll win." Cagalli said coldly.

Their faces were grim as they nodded, understanding.

"Well, we might as well head out; he wanted to have dinner at seven." Meyrin said and stood, heading to her room to get washed up and ready.

"Be careful, they may have planned all their dates with us the same as Luna's. Stellar, remember to keep a look out, don't let anything happen." Cagalli told her.

"I will. You said to use whatever means necessary to find information. Is it alright if I use violent or lewd means with Athrun?" Meyrin asked carefully, her expression guarded.

Cagalli paused for a moment, keeping her face blank.

"Yes, don't be nice if he won't dish anything out. The fact that he asked you to dinner for sending him a jacket means he's either on to us or planning something big." Cagalli replied.

Meyrin nodded and the two girls got ready.

"I still can't believe Kira would go this far. It's just not like him…why Luna?" Fllay asked, confused.

"Maybe he's jealous." Stellar suggested. The girls looked to her and she explained. "Kira likes Shinn. When Stellar found out Shinn liked Luna instead of Stellar, Stellar got angry at both Shinn and Luna. Maybe he's angry at them both too."

"That makes sense, but I still don't trust him with any of you guys. I'm sorry Lacus, but you need to stay away from him." Cagalli said.

"I understand." Lacus replied shakily. She was stunned that Kira would almost kill Luna after having such a nice lunch with her. She shuddered and stood.

"Excuse me, I need to rest." She whispered and left.

It was quiet as the others watched her leave. Fllay, Stellar, and Shiho looked shaken as well.

"Cagalli, if there's anything I can do, count me in. They might have seen me, but they have no idea who I am. Let me spy on them or something to see what they're planning." Shiho told her.

Cagalli nodded. "We need to stay here for now, tomorrow we'll make a plan on who will leave, I want you guys to leave in partners from now on, there's no telling when they may strike again. Especially on dates, keep a lookout and don't fall for their charms. Get as much information possible in whatever way possible. No more pleasantries."

"So no more dates with Kira?" Fllay asked.

"Definitely not, if anyone plans to meet him, I'm going along with another girl. I'm not going to allow anyone to be alone with him. He's now classified as Dangerous." Cagalli said harshly.

Fllay nodded, gulping and looked afraid. Her expression changed to confusion. "I still don't understand. He could have hurt me or even Lacus; he even looked like he wanted to hurt me, so why did he leave us alone and go after Luna? Is it really because he's jealous?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, that's why I can't afford to confront him about it, and neither can you or Lacus. I mean it, Fllay, stay away from him unless you want to end up dead…or scarred for life. Who knows what all he did to Luna." Cagalli said sternly.

Fllay nodded and put her arms across her chest, looking away.

"Alright, I'm gonna check on Luna, try to fix the cameras, if they're beyond repair, order some more, we can't let them come near here again without our knowing." Cagalli said.

They nodded and left. She stood and went into the room Luna was currently in.

She stood next to her bed and focused on all the bruises and cuts. Kira had raped Shinn. He himself had been raped by Rau. There really was no telling what he could have done with Luna.

* * *

Kira opened the door and shoved Shinn inside. The rest of the guys were waiting in the living room.

"Athrun, they'll be furious, don't let them get a hold of you when you're out with Meyrin. Don't tell her anything either." Kira ordered.

Athrun nodded and glanced at Shinn who was leaning against the wall, his expression blank and unreadable. Kira wouldn't look at any of them directly, so he simply got up and went to get ready.

"Rey, Dearka, the girls have figured out by now that you broke in, or will soon, monitor them as best you can and alert me of any plans or movement."

"Yes sir." They replied and got up to continue setting up the Spyware system.

"Shinn, Nicol, in my office." Kira said and walked briskly down the hall. Shinn sighed and began walking after him. Nicol glanced at him.

As he passed Yzak, he smirked and grabbed his arm. "You're little girlfriend screams like a whore." He said.

Shinn's eyes came back to life and he turned, punching Yzak straight in the face. He was about to nail him again when Nicol grabbed his arm and held him back.

"Don't listen to him! He's just trying to get you riled up!" Nicol told him, struggling to keep Shinn under control.

"Tch, you hit like your girlfriend, she couldn't hurt a fly." Yzak spat, enjoying watching the younger boy get worked up.

"Yzak shut up! Leave him alone unless you want to end up in the hospital! I don't have to hold him back." Nicol yelled, shocking them both.

Shinn glared at him, putting his gun back in his belt and shrugging Nicol off him as he stalked towards Kira's office.

Yzak glared at Nicol who glared back. "Watch your mouth. I'm tired of you always trying to tick him off. He's been through more than you can imagine, he doesn't need you constantly on his back." He growled.

"He needs to wake up and stop acting like a pansy! He knew what he was getting in to but he doesn't seem to understand that you're not supposed to fall in love with the enemy! If he doesn't quit disobeying orders and thinking he can get away with his attitude I'll hurt him like Kira can't." Yzak replied just as hotly.

Nicol's eyes widened, but he still regarded Yzak with anger as he walked away.

"What took you so long?" Kira asked, his voice like ice.

"Yzak." Shinn said through clenched teeth.

Nicol walked in and Kira looked to him for a better explanation. "He was trying to mess with Shinn again. I told him to quit. I don't think he'll listen to me for long though." Nicol hinted.

"I'll talk with him." Kira replied, still icily. "Sit." He commanded.

They both sat down, Shinn slowly starting to revert back to his emotionless state.

"Look over the information you received today, go over every detail. I want you to work with Rey and Dearka to find out anything you can about the girls' plans." Kira told Nicol.

"Yes sir." Nicol said and handed him a small device that Shinn eyed with little curiosity.

"You may leave. Ask Yzak to come by my office later." Kira said. Nicol nodded and left.

Shinn and Kira sat in silence for a moment, unable to look at each other.

Kira cleared his throat. "So, what did you find out about Nicol?" he asked.

Shinn looked up and wondered whether he should really tell Kira about Nicol and Lacus. He remembered not wanting to tell him as his own little punishment, but the look he was receiving made it clear that honesty was the best policy.

He sighed. "They've been secretly meeting, trying to stop the fighting." He mumbled.

Kira sensed that he was holding something back. "What else?"

Shinn shrugged, not meeting his gaze. Kira leaned forward.

"He tried to tell me…not to stop loving Luna, or something. Said that I needed to play along until I could help him stop you. He just wants the fighting to stop." He said quietly.

The sting of guilt was a bit more painful than he expected. He knew that Nicol really didn't know what Kira had planned earlier, and so hadn't really betrayed him, but here he was, betraying him anyway. He flinched.

"Thank you. I had a feeling that was his intention." Kira replied and Shinn snuck a glance at him.

"He's not doing anything wrong…he just wants to help." He whispered. Kira looked at him, his cold eyes boring into his soul.

"Don't worry Shinn; I'm not going to do anything to him. I just need to speak with him just like I need to speak with Yzak. What did he say to you?" Kira asked.

Shinn looked away, trying to suppress the rage. Kira wouldn't let him off easily like any other time if he exploded again. He couldn't get mad.

"Shinn."

"Don't make me say it. He just…got me angry like he always does. I punched him. Nicol held me back and yelled at him. Then I left." Shinn replied.

There was another pause and Shinn looked to see Kira's eyes widen, and then return to normal.

"You finally punched him. I'm glad you stood up to him." he said, a hint of a small smile on his lips.

Shinn's expression looked surprised. "You're not mad?" he asked cautiously.

Kira shook his head, and Shinn felt slightly relieved.

Silence.

Finally Shinn couldn't stand it anymore. He sighed and closed his eyes.

"What did you do to her?" he asked quietly, eyes still closed. What Yzak said resounded within his mind and wouldn't leave him alone. He had to know.

Kira wouldn't answer for a while, and Shinn tried to remain calm. When he was about to snap he heard Kira's reply.

"Not much, really. Yzak grabbed her and tied her up, but she fought against both of us, so she got a few cuts and bruises. She wouldn't tell us anything and she kept screaming so he knocked her unconscious. I took what she had on her, which surprisingly was a lot for her to conceal. She might have planned something for you."

Shinn's eyes snapped open.

"What do you mean?" he asked, keeping his face guarded.

"She had a lot of knives and two guns on her. I'm actually glad she invited me, or else the scenario would have been different." Kira answered.

"I would rather it be me than her any day. Besides, she'd never do anything this vicious, she's not like you, none of them are." Shinn snapped heatedly, then sat back and tried to calm himself.

Kira frowned. "What's done is done. You know better than to underestimate them. She kidnapped you, didn't she? She let and helped them torture you, didn't she? She could have been playing you the whole time, you should be thankful I stopped her from whatever she had planned for you." He said harshly.

Shinn stood and looked at him with a wild expression. He couldn't seem to find the words for his anger; he looked so much like Luna had that Kira couldn't respond for a while.

"Don't tell me to be thankful for almost killing the person I love! If this was supposed to be your punishment for me then I'd rather you castrate me or something! I mean, how could you do this? Are you really that jealous? Are you simply heartless? Why did you destroy our relationship if the plan is to make them fall in love with us!? WHY DID YOU DO IT!?" Shinn shrieked, unable to suppress his angry questions any longer.

Kira waited calmly for him to rant and calm down, then stood.

"It was for your own good. If they're playing the same game we are, you would've gotten caught in her trap. Maybe I am jealous, maybe that was punishment; I was simply doing my job as the Godfather of this gang, something you should have done in the first place but were too busy falling in love and ignoring the rules! I'm tired of your attitude, Shinn. Shape up or else." He replied angrily, surprised by his own anger just like Shinn was, who took a step back.

"I…I'm…sorry." Shinn replied. He stood waiting, and it took Kira a moment to realize he was waiting for further punishment.

He took a step towards the younger boy, but before he could go further, there was a knock at the door.

Kira looked annoyed and then went back to being cold.

"Go to my room." He told Shinn who nodded hesitantly and opened the door.

He couldn't help but to glare at Yzak who returned the look as they passed each other.

"You need to do something about that kid." He spat, still angry.

"No, Yzak, you need to leave him to me and back off. Whether you think he's out of line or not isn't really up to you, and neither is trying to punish him. If you have a problem with the way he acts then talk to me about it, it's not your place to confront him and try to force him to be a good little boy like you want so much to do. You aren't the Godfather, I am. If you have a problem with that, save us all the trouble and shoot yourself." Kira told him harshly, tired of all fights they were getting into.

Yzak looked shocked and said nothing for a while.

"Look, I appreciate what you do, but you need to leave Shinn alone. I'm tired of you two constantly bickering, and I'm tired of you always trying to assume control. I'm not perfect, I know that, but I'm the one in charge by right, and you need to respect that, you need to respect me, and you need to respect the other members. I'm not going to warn you about picking fights with Athrun anymore. From now on, one more fight and I'll see it as a direct challenge to myself. Do you understand?" he said.

"Yes sir, but I still think Shinn is out of line. He challenges you more than I do. I'm tired of his attitude just like you are; I'm just not as able to control my anger." Yzak answered.

"I know, Yzak, just try a little every once in a while, okay?" Kira asked, trying to smile to show that they didn't have to fight this over.

Yzak smirked, the closest thing to a smile and nodded. He left soon after that, and Kira sighed, calming himself before he confronted Shinn again.

Athrun knocked on the open door, letting him know he was there.

"I'm off." He told his friend.

"Alright, be careful." Kira replied. Athrun nodded, and Kira realized that he was angry with him.

"Athrun…" he began.

"We can talk later, I'm late. Shinn's waiting for you." Athrun said and left.

* * *

Cagalli put her hand on Luna's hand and sighed.

"Cagalli?" she heard a faint voice and looked up to see Luna looking at her questioningly.

"Luna! You're awake! How are you feeling?" Cagalli asked.

"A bit foggy…where am I?" she asked and tried to sit up.

"You're at the base, we found you just in time. Luna, what happened to you? What did Kira do to you?" Cagalli asked cautiously.

Luna's eyes hardened and she told her story, each sentence making her angrier and angrier.

"I can't believe he would do that to me! I can't believe he would lie to me!" she yelled.

"Luna, Kira might be lying to you." Cagalli told her.

"I doubt it, they're all vicious and cunning, look what he did to me! I don't know who I'm mad at more, Kira or Shinn!" she fumed.

"Look, just calm down, we're working on figuring out what's going on. Until then, just stay away from them."

"No! I'm going to get them back for this! I don't care if you try to stop me, I'm going to make them pay for taking advantage of me like this!" Luna shrieked and got up.

"Luna! You're in no condition to go anywhere, let alone exact revenge! Just chill out for a second!" Cagalli told her, trying to push her back down.

"No!" Luna screamed and pushed her off, going into SEED mode. She ran out of the room and to the door. She got in her car and sped off.

Cagalli ran out and some of the girls came out. "What's going on? Was that Luna? Where's she going?" they asked.

"She went to get revenge." Cagalli told them. Meyrin was already gone with Stellar, Lacus had gone to bed, so Cagalli told the girls to stay at the base while she tried to find and stop Luna.

* * *

Kira opened the door to his room and saw Shinn staring out the window.

He closed the door and Shinn turned to look at him.

"Yzak is going to bother you anymore." He said.

"Tch, you don't need to fight my battles, Kira." Shinn replied.

Kira frowned. Shinn looked away and sighed.

"I'm sorry, I'm just tired. A lot's happened." He said.

"I know, it's okay, you can relax." Kira told him, wrapping his arms around him. Shinn gasped and turned, staring up at Kira who was trying to look soft.

Kira leaned down, and Shinn had a flashback of seeing Kira step close to Luna and turned his head away.

"I need to get some air." He said and stumbled out of the room before Kira knew what was going on.

He went to go after him, but then stopped. Shinn needed some space; he couldn't expect him to just hop in bed with him after what he did to Luna.

Shinn ran outside and kept running, away from the base, away from Kira. He needed to get away; he couldn't let Kira touch him, he had to stay angry. He couldn't risk getting Kira angrier at him, but he needed to vent, needed to yell.

He kept running until his legs burned and he couldn't breathe. He stepped inside an alleyway and slid down the wall, resting his arms on his knees as he leaned his head against it.

He heard a car drive up and squeal to a stop. He opened his eyes wearily as he tried to make out the figure stepping out of the car. He was still tired from running all that way and his breathing hadn't slowed much as he realized with horror and excitement that it was Luna.

He stood, not knowing what to say or do. He smiled until he saw her expression.

She was angry.

And she had a knife.

"Luna? What's going on, what are you doing here?" he asked, backing away from her.

"You lied to me, you did this to me. You knew he was going to do this, you let him!" She yelled, glaring hatefully at him.

"What!? No! I had no idea!" he replied.

"Liar!" she screamed and lunged at him.

He jumped backwards and she grabbed his arm. She had a twisted sneer on her face, and her eyes looked crazy.

"This is your coordinator weakness. I'm going to make you scream just like they did!" she said and twisted his arm behind his back.

He yelled and struggled out of her hold and she kneed him and pushed him down, putting her knee on his chest and twisting his arm more, laughing at his screams.

"Why are you doing this!? Luna, he was lying to you! I swear! I love you Luna!" Shinn yelled, trying to get out of her hold.

"You love me? You love me!?" she screeched, getting angrier. "You told me you loved me, you made me believe it so you could defile my body, well now I'm going to make sure you can't love anyone else!"

She moved her knee and used her legs to spread his, then lifted the knife, still holding on tightly to his arm.

"No, Luna, don't!" he cried as he saw where the knife was headed.

She laughed maniacally as she stuck the knife straight into his manhood.

* * *

**-Author's Note: wow, that took longer than I planned so I'll have to put the other stuff in the next chappy. Well, that's all for today I think. Please tell me what you think, any comments, questions, blah, blah, blah you know the drill! Hopefully things will start to lighten up, but don't expect a lot of funny stuff or fluff next chappy!-**


	20. Chapter 20: Visits

**Chapter 20: Visits**

**Disclaimer:**** I only own the OCs, the –plot- of this fic, the gang names and…..uhhh….the insanity produced to create this fiction. Hey, I sounded important…**

* * *

"_You love me? You love me!?" she screeched, getting angrier. "You told me you loved me, you made me believe it so you could defile my body, well now I'm going to make sure you can't love anyone else!"_

_She moved her knee and used her legs to spread his, then lifted the knife, still holding on tightly to his arm._

"_No, Luna, don't!" he cried as he saw where the knife was headed._

_She laughed maniacally as she stuck the knife straight into his manhood._

A piercing cry broke out into the night, and Cagalli screeched to a stop, getting out without even turning the car off.

She ran towards the alley where the horrifying screams and sounds of maddened laughter were erupting from, her heart racing.

She barely noticed Luna's car, also still running, parked beside the alley as she slid into it, stopping short when she saw the scene before her.

Blood was everywhere, a boy was rolling around screeching in agony, clutching his right arm and crotch. A girl was lying on the ground beside him, laughing insanely, a bloody knife in her hand.

Cagalli's hand flew to her mouth and she tried not to puke as she started forward. She ignored Luna, who seemed too far gone to realize that she was even there, and dropped down next to Shinn.

"Sh-Shinn, calm down, it's alright, it's me, Cagalli. I'm going to help you." Cagalli said, trying to reassure the boy. He seemed as far gone as Luna in his pain, and struggled as she tried to lift him into her arms.

"Shinn! I'm not going to hurt you! I'm going to take you to the hospital, clam down!" she yelled, struggling with him as she tried to stand.

He yelled incoherently so she dragged him to her car and laid him in the back seat. She thought about going back for Luna but decided to leave the crazed girl there, too angry to be sympathetic.

She drove as fast as she dared, trying to tune out the groans and cries from the boy in her back seat, trying not to puke because of the thick smell of blood and tears, and trying not to cry herself at the tragedy.

She arrived at the hospital and tried to carry Shinn inside, he was barely conscious now and so didn't move as she rushed him into the waiting room.

People gasped and moved out of the way as she hurried to the desk.

"He needs help, now! He was stabbed!" she told the nurse who looked frantic at the sight. The plump woman shouted for some doctors who rushed in and placed Shinn on a gurney. His eyes were foggy and glazed and his breathing was slipping as he started to fade.

Cagalli followed as far as she could and stood by the doors and watched as the doctors stopped the bleeding and tried to stop Shinn from dying. She was escorted into the waiting room where she sat.

She felt no emotion for the first ten seconds.

Then she burst into tears.

After about ten minutes, hands shaky and breathing uneven, she reached for her phone and made her thumb press the button.

* * *

Kira strode into Shinn's room and made a noise of impatience when he didn't see him. He walked out and into the living room again, and then went to his office, then back to his room.

"Where'd he go? He was just here a couple minutes ago. He said he needed some air, maybe he's still outside." Kira mumbled to himself and walked quickly to the back door.

He opened it and looked around, but there was no sign of the boy. He stepped out and walked to the street, looking up and down the sidewalk.

No one was there.

He was about to call out when he felt vibrations within his pocket. He took out his cell phone and frowned at the name that appeared on the screen.

He thought about not answering, but something in the back of his mind urged him to press the green SEND button that connected him to the call.

"Cagalli, if you're going to yell at me-," was as far as he got until he realized that something was wrong…that and the fact that she started spouting nonsense.

"Kira! It's Shinn, he, well, Luna woke up and was angry, she ran out of the base, I tried to stop her but she was insane with fury! I drove down the streets looking for her because she said she was going to look for Shinn, and then I heard this awful screaming, it was terrible!" Cagalli was saying, crying and choking for breath.

"Cagalli! Calm down and take a deep breath. Now, what's going on?" he asked calmly, even though his heartbeat started to race as what she said began to sink in.

"Luna attacked Shinn! They were in an alleyway and I found him screaming on the ground, he was stabbed…in…I can't even say it!" she screamed and cried harder, almost dropping the phone.

The utter horror of the event came crashing down on her and she barely heard Kira's reply. The people sitting with her in the waiting area crowded around her, trying to comfort her.

"Where is he!? Cagalli is he alright!? CAGALLI!" Kira was yelling too, grabbing for his keys and dropping them in his haste. He ran out to his car just as Yzak opened the door.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I don't know, Shinn…he might be hurt. Stay here." Kira said dismissively, getting in his car.

"What? Kira, what's going on?" Yzak asked, stepping outside.

"Go back inside! I have to leave!" he ordered and sped off, swerving all over the road as he headed in the direction of the hospital.

"I-I t-took him to th-the H-Hospital. He…he's in surgery right now…Kira…it was so horrible…his screams!" Cagalli cried, still choking and sobbing, unable to control herself.

Kira raced faster, ignoring the speed limit as he tried to restrain himself from giving in to the grief that Cagalli was feeling.

"I'll be there soon, stay there okay?" he tried to sound calm, but he wasn't so sure how he sounded. His sister stammered out an "okay" and then they hung up. He heard the distant wail of sirens but only pushed faster.

He reached the Hospital and parked haphazardly, not caring as he ran through the parking lot and into the room. He looked around for his sister and finally found her sitting with a bunch of people around her, trying to soothe and calm her.

He pushed past them and they quickly broke away as he knelt next to her, not knowing what to say but feeling like he should try to comfort her as well.

"Cagalli, I'm here." he whispered, throat suddenly tight. He swallowed and felt a lump.

"Kira." She whimpered and shook her head, her hands covering her face. She was shaking and pale white.

He touched her shoulder and sat there, feeling dead and cold.

After a while, a tall man in a white and bloodied lab coat walked towards them. When Kira saw him he stood and tried to help Cagalli stand but she wouldn't move.

"We have him stabilized, but we'll need to keep him here for a few days. His wounds are pretty bad. He was stabbed in the penis and his coordinator weakness did a number on his body. His arm is bruised and paralyzed for now. Someone will ask you both a few questions concerning how he got hurt. You can see him if you want, but you can't stay long." He told them in a detached voice.

Kira nodded and turned to Cagalli. She shook her head, unable to look at the boy after what she saw and heard. He swallowed again and followed the doctor to Shinn's room.

There were nurses still fluttering around him, hooking up tubes and metal devices. Kira stopped and took in the sight.

Shinn was lying on a bed with white sheets covering him up to his chest. His face was white and moist from sweat, and there was an oxygen mask covering his mouth and nose.

Tubes ran along his arms and onto his chest. His right arm was bandaged and limp by his side.

Kira couldn't breathe for a moment. An image of Shinn's face earlier flashed within his mind. His red eyes were wide and held thousands of emotions, the most prominent being betrayal and pain. He had looked so downcast, so broken after his explosion, but it still shocked Kira to the core as he looked at Shinn now.

The nurses began to leave quickly as he took a few steps towards the bed. His mouth was dry and his mind was blank. He felt cold and shaky as he reached out to touch Shinn's fingers.

He gasped and pulled back after he felt how cold they were. He swallowed again and touched Shinn's face, wiped the dried tears away and brushed some hair out of his eyes.

He broke down.

He fell to his knees, so full of emotion that he couldn't contain it anymore. He cried loud enough to have a nurse or two pop in, but they left when they understood that it was grief, not pain, that made him cry out.

All the coldness, all the hardness fell away. The cool calmness and harsh malice he had felt before that enabled him to nearly kill Luna fled from him.

He gasped, eyes wide, as he cried more than he'd cried in almost a year. He felt young and vulnerable, small and weak. He couldn't believe that this had happened, wanted it to be just a cruel nightmare for what he had done to Luna.

He stayed in that position, pouring his heart out to an unconscious and broken teenager.

Some nurses came in and told him he couldn't stay any longer. He quickly took control of himself, but none of the coldness came back to him. He was lead to the waiting room where Cagalli was sitting; staring blankly at nothing, face dry but still pale.

He sat next to her as one of the nurses started asking the questions.

"Are you related to him?"

"No, he's a friend."

"How old is he?"

"S-sixteen."

"Do you know how we can contact his parents?"

"His parents are dead and his foster parents abandoned him. He's been living with me."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-one."

"Are you his legal guardian?"

"No."

She looked at him with contempt, pursing her lips and giving him that look that adults give children who lie to them.

He stared at her levelly, somehow managing to call back some of the darkness enough to make her back off.

"What happened to him?"

Kira looked to Cagalli who had woken up from her despair.

"Um, I found him in an alleyway, he was stabbed. I…I got him here as fast as I could."

"Did you see who stabbed him?"

"Yes." Barely a whisper.

The nurse waited and Cagalli shook her head, leaning over to cry into her hands again. Kira put a tentative arm around her and the nurse sighed.

"You'll hear most of these questions again by the police. You should leave for now and come back in the morning since you're not family. We'll take care of him." she finally said.

Kira nodded to her and waited for Cagalli to calm down again. She stood and they walked to the parking lot together.

She looked at him and they stood in silence, then she turned away and walked to her car. After watching her get in and drive away, he walked slowly to his car as well. With a last look at the hospital, he got in and drove back to the base.

He said nothing to the group gathered in the living room as he passed by. He ignored their questions and shut the door to his room and didn't come back out.

* * *

Cagalli didn't look as she drove past the alleyway. She gave the girls a sad look, unable to hide her sorrow. She could barely speak, unable to relive and remember what happened. She shook her head and went into her room, collapsing on her bed and crying herself to sleep.

* * *

When Kira woke up, he prayed to God to let last night's events be a nightmare. He slowly opened his eyes, knowing that he wouldn't see or feel anyone beside him because Shinn was in the hospital.

His eyes were dull and unseeing as he got up and trudged around the room. He didn't look at himself in the mirror and stood motionless in the shower, letting the heat burn his skin until he couldn't feel it anymore.

When he finally stepped out of his room, he trudged toward the living room. He smelled coffee and heard talking, but one voice stood out because it wasn't supposed to be there.

He looked into the opening and saw a man sitting in a chair, talking with Athrun and Rey while sipping coffee. He had blonde hair and was dressed casually, with blue jeans and a loose but slim white shirt.

He looked up and saw Kira, took in his expression, and nodded. Athrun and Rey turned and stood, looking surprised and sympathetic.

Kira woke up a little more and cleared his throat as he walked into the room.

"Mwu, nice to see you." His voice was hoarse and detached, but he couldn't find the pride to care.

"The same goes for you, but it seems you're not feeling all that well. The boys tell me something went down last night. Something about Shinn." Mwu replied, looking concerned as Kira simply stood there.

It finally clicked as to why he would be there, and full life came back to Kira's eyes. He looked around and then sat in a chair opposite Mwu.

"Shinn…was hurt last night. He's in the hospital." He said, unable to believe what he said even though he knew it wasn't a dream.

"Hurt? How?" Mwu asked. Athrun and Rey sat back down, staring at Kira with intense curiosity. Yzak and Dearka came in and stood by the wall, listening. Nicol listened in the kitchen, picking at a bagel.

"Cagalli found him…in an alleyway…with Luna." Kira croaked out. He closed his eyes and reigned in his emotions, carefully stowing them away and allowing some of the coldness to take over.

When he opened his eyes Mwu was frowning and the guys were glancing at each other and Kira carefully, trying to act surprised.

Kira's features hardened and his voice was stronger and darker as he explained further.

"She said that Luna had stabbed him. She rushed him to the hospital. They have him stabilized but he'll have to stay there for a few days. His injuries are bad."

They gasped, looking genuinely surprised now. Apparently they hadn't thought it would be that serious. The thought made Kira even angrier.

"Stabbed where?" Rey asked, his face matching Kira's, but for different reasons.

"Where do you think a woman would stab her scorned lover?" Kira asked harshly, biting the words out.

They grimaced and Nicol almost dropped his bagel, his face growing pale. Athrun's face went blank and he swallowed. Rey's eyes flashed at anger. Yzak shook his head and covered his mouth with his hand. Dearka looked horrified.

Mwu was staring at Kira, intense and knowing.

"Kira, may I speak with you in your office?" he asked. His voice was quiet but slightly commanding. Kira stood and led the way silently.

Mwu closed the door behind him and Kira stood behind his chair, pacing restlessly as Mwu sat down calmly.

"I had originally come here to speak with you about the incident concerning Rau. There was talk about Shinn killing him after Rau stopped by. I wasn't going to ask about the accusations concerning Rau's visit in the first place, but now it seems that it's tied to the incident last night." Mwu started, using the same tone as before.

Kira continued to pace in silence while he seethed.

"Kira, I'm not mad or anything about Rau's death, personally I think you should have done it yourself a long time ago, but I'm concerned for you." Mwu told him.

Kira stopped pacing and looked at the man who was both a friend and father figure to him. He nodded in appreciation but still couldn't speak.

"So, are the rumors true? I know it's hard for you right now, but I have to ask. Were you- are you- involved with Shinn?"

Kira stopped and braced himself against his desk, taking a moment as the emotions came crashing down on him again. He took a deep breath and then sat down.

"Yes." He finally answered.

Mwu simply nodded and allowed him another moment before continuing.

"Do you love him?"

Kira's face must have terrified him, because he gasped and got up, standing by Kira's chair.

"Kira, I know this isn't what you want right now. I'm just trying to figure out what happened and why. Maybe you should just relay to me the events of that day, you don't have to tell me about last night unless you want to." He told the boy, concern and worry taking over his features. The boy's face was white and his eyes were wide. Mwu put a hand on his shoulder and Kira calmed.

He told him about Rau's visit, told him what Shinn had said and done, and then waited while Mwu processed the information.

"Well, we all know Rau wasn't the most popular person, but I'm surprised that Shinn did that for you. Despite your…relationship…you seem to be very close." He commented.

Kira nodded and contemplated telling Rau what little he knew of last night.

Mwu waited, still looking concerned but more professional, like before.

Kira began telling him about Shinn and Luna, his feelings for Shinn, their conversations, and the events that led up to yesterday. He stumbled through the events and had to take a few breathers but managed to get through it.

Mwu looked shocked and Kira felt ashamed of his actions. He laid his head down on his desk and fought the urge to cry again.

"I didn't know you had become that cruel…" Mwu said quietly. Kira tensed, fighting harder against his grief.

"I'm sorry about what happened. No one will come after you or Shinn, of course. I just wanted to check in on you. There are a lot of rumors going around that made me worry. Things are definitely getting ugly, you should be careful." Mwu said.

Kira raised his head and saw Mwu staring straight into his eyes with a stern look on his face.

"Don't let the darkness control you. You're too pure to become a monster like us. You have to fight it, Kira. Do what you must, but remember what's really important. Love is the most important thing in this world and anywhere else. If you don't have love, you will not survive. Please, don't destroy yourself like so many others have." He said.

Kira nodded and Mwu gave him a sympathetic look.

"I'll check in on you when Shinn returns to the base, but you should go see him now. Also, be careful about the police, you know they dislike gangs, even though you aren't intentionally hurting the community." He said before leaving.

Kira abruptly got up and grabbed his keys.

"Kira, are you going to the hospital?" Athrun asked, blocking his way to the door.

"Yeah." Kira said, trying and failing to give him a cold look.

"I'm coming with you."

"No, you have to stay here so nothing else goes wrong."

"Nicol will be here, I'm coming with you."

He wasn't asking permission.

Kira gave up and led the way. Athrun slid into the passenger seat and they drove in silence.

They didn't have much trouble and arrived at Shinn's room. He was awake and being attended to by a nurse.

When he saw Kira, he froze, caught between surprise and happiness at seeing him.

Kira walked toward his bed and the nurse left, giving the boys a once-over.

Athrun smiled at Shinn and broke the silence.

"Have the pain meds kicked in yet?"

"Yeah, I'm a bit loopy right now. Feels great though." The boy replied in a drugged tone, he went back to staring at Kira who was staring back, unable to speak.

"That's good I guess." Athrun said and chuckled.

"The nurse told me what happened…said that you'd stopped by." Shinn said quietly to Kira.

Kira swallowed and nodded.

"Cagalli saved me." Shinn said in a confused tone.

"She was out looking for Luna because…she was going to see you." Kira explained. Shinn nodded, understanding blooming beneath his gaze.

"How long did the doctors say it'll take before you heal?" Athrun asked after an awkward silence.

"Um, about a month, they're estimating." Shinn replied and grimaced.

"That's not too bad I guess." Athrun said.

"Yeah, they said it could have been a lot worse if I hadn't have been brought in. Could have died from blood loss." Shinn's voice caught and he looked down and away.

Athrun could sense the tension in the air and touched Kira's arm before leaving to get a drink, knowing they needed to be alone.

Kira pulled up a chair and sat down, staring at Shinn's arm.

"They figured out it was my weakness and said it was a good thing, because the pain I was feeling wasn't because of multiple injuries or anything, which means I'll heal faster with a lot less pain. It's not completely broken, just dislocated, so I'll have to wear a sling for a while." Shinn said when he caught Kira staring.

Kira nodded and then glanced from his face to his lower parts, unable to speak, much less ask the unbearable question.

Shinn didn't answer quickly and red colored his still-pale cheeks.

"They said it would take a while to heal…and that I should be careful. They also said that there's a chance…I…I might not be able to r-reproduce." He choked out.

Kira's hand shot out and took Shinn's left hand, wiping his eyes with his thumb as he stood over him.

Shinn squeezed his hand and leaned his cheek against the other hand.

Kira pressed his forehead to Shinn's until the boy calmed down, then sat down, closer to him, still holding his hand.

"Shinn…" it was the first time he'd spoken in a while and his voice was hoarse. He swallowed and tried again.

"Shinn, don't worry. I'll take care of you, okay? When will they dispatch you?" he asked in a soft voice.

"Tomorrow at the earliest, they said. They want to keep me here to make sure everything goes alright and to run some tests. They said the police were coming to investigate." Shinn replied and looked at Kira with a terrified expression.

"I'm scared. What if they arrest you or…what will happen to me?" he asked in a weak voice.

"Shhhh, I'll handle it, okay?" Kira breathed, comforting him again. He kissed his cheek and looked at him fondly. Shinn blushed again and leaned toward him.

They were about to kiss when someone cleared their throat behind Kira. He stood abruptly and saw a woman with shaggy brown hair in a brown coat and casual yet professional attire. She had a notepad in her hand and a serious look on her face.

Kira regarded her with wary hostility, standing between her and Shinn.

"My name is Murrue Ramius. I'm a detective for the ORB Police Force. I'm here to ask Shinn a few questions, if you don't mind." She announced.

* * *

**-Author's Note: yeah, this was getting long so I'll do the questions in the next chappy. Lemme know how you like it! Any questions, comments, suggestions, ideas, etc. are appreciated and welcome! I know I was a bit forward but I was trying to sound as close to doctor-speak as possible…I'm pretty sure this is rated M anyway, if not, I'll move it. Poor Shinn, why am I so cruel to him???-**


	21. Chapter 21: Questions

**Chapter 21: Questions**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own any of this except the OCs and random happenings within this fiction.**

* * *

Shinn's eyes widened while Kira's narrowed. His look told her that the "request" she was about to make about him leaving was going to be denied.

"The doctors told me you were awake and seemed well enough to answer just a few questions, so I assume you don't have any problems with my being here." She stated.

Shinn glanced at Kira who didn't look like he wanted Shinn answering any of her questions, but he also didn't want to make things worse than they already were, so he nodded.

She smiled and took the seat in front of Shinn's bed, Kira standing on the other side of him. Shinn sat up more and tried to calm his racing heart. He glared at the machine beside him that made it clear he was nervous with every beep that his heart made.

"Now, I've been told a little bit about what happened, would you care to explain it fully, from what you remember?" she asked, pen poised over her notepad.

"Um, I was…running down the street and stopped in an alleyway to rest, and then…I heard a noise and saw…um…" here he glanced at Kira, wondering whether he should tell this detective that Luna had stabbed him.

Murrue seemed to have noticed this, and while Kira was thinking on whether to rat Luna out or not, she sighed.

"Look, I know you don't trust me, I know that something is going on, what you need to know is that whatever you're involved in, I won't hold it against you in this case. All I want to know is who tried to kill this boy and who I should put in jail. If you don't trust me with that information then I can't help you." She told them, looking Kira in the eye.

He frowned at the fact that she knew a lot more than he would have liked about their situation, but if she was willing to grant them amnesty for being involved in a gang, then he might as well comply. He nodded to Shinn.

"Lunamaria Hawke came and…she twisted my arm, I tried to fight back but…" humiliation made him stop and look down, his face burning as he refused to look at Kira, his Godfather.

"Your Coordinator Weakness, the doctors told me about that. Shockwaves of pain throughout your entire body, I'd be surprised if you had enough concentration to effectively disable your opponent." Murrue said softly, looking understanding.

It made him feel better, despite knowing she was only saying that so he would continue.

"Well, then she stabbed me and I don't really remember much from that. Just a bunch of blurs and weird noises. And then I wake up in a white room with a bunch of doctors all around me." Shinn concluded. Kira was absently stroking his undamaged hand to calm him while he spoke.

Murrue noticed this and eyed the pair curiously. Kira's look was still more hostile than welcoming, but he tried not to look too dangerous.

"And you're sixteen?" she asked Shinn. He nodded.

"The nurse informed me of your living conditions, care to elaborate on that?" she asked, although she was looking at Kira.

Shinn opened his mouth but then squeezed his eyes shut as a wave of pain encompassed him.

"He lives me, I'm the closest thing to family he has. His parents died a couple years ago and the foster family the police stuck him in was negligent so I asked a private judge if he could live with me until he turned eighteen." Kira answered.

"I see. And what is your relationship, exactly?" she asked bluntly, letting them both know with her eyes that a simple "friendship" answer wouldn't suffice.

Kira couldn't help but glare, although he held back the snappy "None of your business." reply.

"Well, we're friends." Shinn answered, also trying to dodge the question.

She looked at him pointedly and then startled them:

"The doctors were obligated to inform me that it appears that you have been raped and have had sex with a male, according to their findings when bandaging your lower extremities."

Shinn's face flushed as red as his eyes and his mouth fell open to an "O" shape. Kira stood angrily.

"I think that's enough." He said through clenched teeth.

She gave him a stern look and jostled her coat, showing him her badge, gun, and handcuffs. Reminding him who she was.

"I think that's for me to decide unless Shinn isn't well enough to answer any more questions." She replied coldly.

He could feel the heat from the rage he felt radiating throughout his body and so he definitely felt the cool hand that was placed on his wrist.

He looked down to see Shinn giving him a pleading look, tugging him slightly; weakly.

He took a deep breath to calm himself before sitting back down.

"Okay, so maybe we're a little more than friends, but that has nothing to do with what happened last night." Shinn told her.

She could tell he was being truthful so didn't push the matter further, but occasionally glanced at the possessive hand Kira placed on Shinn's arm.

"You said that Lunamaria Hawke did this to you, are you completely sure?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Yes." Shinn answered.

She pressed her lips into a line as if she didn't believe him. The boys glanced at each other with an exasperated look.

"The only reason why I'm checking is that I highly doubt the Chief of Police's daughter would go around trying to kill people." Murrue told them after she watched the exchange.

Shinn looked shocked, even though a hint of recognition was reflected in his eyes. Kira's face turned white and he gulped, hoping she wouldn't notice. Hoping he didn't have to tell her why Luna went after Shinn in the first place.

He forgot that the Hawke sisters' father was the Chief of Police.

* * *

"Mr. Hawke, if you would follow me please." A man in a white lab coat said to the other man waiting in the hall.

They took an elevator to the third floor and walked through a series of confusing hallways with disturbing signs posted near the doors. They finally reached their destination: Violent Behavioral Wing (a.k.a Homicidal Maniacs' Cell Rooms).

The man leading the way entered a code into the device on the wall beside the double-doors that slid out of the way for them to pass through.

They passed a few doors until he stopped before one on the left.

"We've sedated her and have her tied down for her and everyone else's safety. I'm not sure how she'll react to you, so…be careful." He told the Chief of Police.

Mr. Hawke (dunno his first name, oh well) nodded gravely and glanced nervously through the small window into the room before going inside.

The room was very plain. The tan curtains were drawn and the tile floor had stains and scuff marks he didn't care to know about. The white walls held far more secrets than any one person should be allowed to know, and have witnessed so strange of events that only the occupants of the building would be able to withstand the knowledge.

He finally looked to the largest piece of furniture in the cold room. A small twin bed took up one whole side and a quarter of the rest of the room. White sheets were tumbling off and twisted up because of the residents' movements.

Lunamaria Hawke was lying on her back on the bed; her wrists, stomach, and ankles strapped down by brown leather buckles connecting her to the bed-rails.

"How exactly did she come to be here, again?" he asked, his mouth dry.

"An anonymous caller alerted us to her whereabouts and condition and we immediately went to find her. She was still in the alleyway the caller had told us about, her car was almost dead, and she was sobbing and tried to fight the Rescue Unit as they put her in the vehicle." The man replied, looking concerned and sympathetic.

"Has she spoken?"

"She's screamed some profanities, and kept saying the name 'Shinn' and some very disturbing and violent things about him. But she hasn't said anything or responded to anyone since last night. She won't eat, drink, or do anything for that matter except stare up at the ceiling blankly. We've tried to figure out what's wrong but she simply won't cooperate." He answered.

"Shinn? What has she said about him?" Mr. Hawke asked.

"Well, she keeps going back and forth between 'I hate you' and other remarks and 'I love you and I'm sorry', so we're assuming that she suffered a traumatic experience involving the boy. The caller told us that she had hurt a young male who is most likely still in the hospital, if the amount of blood at the scene was all his."

"I see. I'll have to have a talk with him, then."

"Sir, we'd like to keep her here for further investigation, and to see if we can help her any way possible. Anything that she needs will be provided for her at no extra charge to you."

"Fine, fine, help her as much as you can and keep me updated. If she starts talking tell her I stopped by and would like to speak with her." Mr. Hawke told him, unable to look at his daughter anymore.

"Yes sir, will do. Just sign here." The other man replied and held out a clipboard and pen.

He sighed and then was escorted back to the main lobby area of the ORB Mental Institution, wondering what on earth had happened and whether his daughter would ever be the same again.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Okay, so not exactly light as I had hoped, but what did you think? Any questions, comments, etc. are welcome so don't be shy! Hopefully I'll update the next chappy soon so you won't have long to wait, but until then, be sure to slip in any suggestions for the fic as well as blooper ideas for the ending, because for some reason I feel like movies and fanfictions are the same thing…except you read the stories…yeah…-**


	22. Chapter 22: Answers

**Chapter 22: Answers**

**Disclaimer:**** I only own the weird stuff.**

* * *

Cagalli stared down at her hands. Before she went to bed last night, she called the ORB Mental Institution. She was angry at Luna, but she was also sympathetic. With everything the girl had gone through, there was no wonder her mind was chaotic and confused. She knew she couldn't just let Luna stay in that alleyway all night, couldn't risk the girl getting hurt or even hurting someone else. But she couldn't bring her back to the base. She couldn't let the other girls see her, especially not Meyrin.

Speaking of the girl, Cagalli glanced over to see her still fuming about the news.

When she had woken up, she sat the girls down and told them everything. There were mixed feelings, but Meyrin was pissed that Cagalli hadn't brought Luna back to the base. She was furious and said that Shinn deserved what he got, and then tried to get the other girls to go after Kira to complete the Vengeful Rampage.

Cagalli calmed her down somewhat and was glad none of the other girls agreed to go with Meyrin on her mission of Revenge. Lacus looked as pale as a ghost and couldn't find the words to express her grief. She told Cagalli right out that she was going to see Shinn. Fllay and Milly expressed their concern and told Lacus to send Shinn their regards, not sure if all of them showing up would be such a good idea since the boys from Bloodlust were most likely going to be there as well. Cagalli was going to go with Lacus.

Stellar was mad at Luna so her and Meyrin almost got into a fight, which Cagalli had to break up, so now the two girls were sitting next to each other in Cagalli's office.

"Look, we've all been through a lot, some things make us stronger, some things weaken us. I'm sure Luna will be fine after some rest and alright in her mind. She just needs some time." She finally told the two.

"She's not crazy! Kira did this to her!" Meyrin exclaimed. Usually level-headed, she had reminded Cagalli so much of Luna that she couldn't look her in the eye.

"Mey, no matter what reasons Kira chose to act how he did, we cannot change the past nor the consequences. What Kira did was wrong, and I will speak with him about it, but there's no reason to go crazy and start attacking them in dark alleyways! I should have kept Luna inside, I didn't know what she was going to do, but I certainly didn't think she would go so far as try to kill Shinn." Cagalli replied calmly.

"She didn't try to kill him; she was trying to teach him a lesson, like we should teach all of them. When they captured Lacus and Milly, Yzak was allowed to cut Milly and Kira took Lacus to bed with him. Then he shows up at the beach where Luna and Shinn were supposed to meet and tried to kill her! They've gone too far, Cagalli, they have to be stopped before one of us gets killed." Meyrin said logically.

"I realize that, but the methods you plan on using are sinking to their level and I won't allow that to happen. Kira won't get away with what he did, but now isn't the time to strike. Besides, the police will undoubtedly try to investigate what happened, and if or when they find out about the gangs, we'll be through. Play it cool and lay low until we know what's going on." Cagalli told her.

"Stellar agrees. Luna should not have done that to Shinn, but Kira should not have done that to Luna. Are we even?" Stellar suddenly spoke up.

"Well, seeing as one of our enemies is in the hospital and one of our comrades is in the Insane Asylum, it would seem that we are, but those were brought upon by individuals' actions, not by the gang as a whole. We'll be even when we win a battle against the boys and after I've made Kira pay." Cagalli said darkly.

"I can talk with daddy. He'll cut us a break and put the boys behind bars where they belong. Then we'll win." Meyrin said.

"No, because they'll probably put Shinn in another foster home. He doesn't need any more pain, especially now." Cagalli said.

"What do you mean!? He broke Luna's heart!" Mey exclaimed.

"He was probably lying; besides, we don't have all the details. When I go see Shinn Kira might be there so I'll ask him what happened and explain to him how we feel." Cagalli said sternly.

"Tch, like that'll be enough!" Meyrin snorted.

"Just leave it to me, and I'll make sure he never lays a hand on one of you girls again, I promise you." Cagalli told her, looking her straight in the eyes with a harsh seriousness that made her nod and calm down, sitting up straighter in her chair.

"Alright, go help the others. I'll see if Lacus is ready to go. I don't want any of you girls leaving the base, under no circumstances unless I call and ask you to do something, got it?" she said.

The girls nodded and then left. Cagalli went to Lacus' room, the girl was still shaking.

"Lacus, maybe we should wait, Kira might be there…" Cagalli said.

"No, I want to see Shinn. I'm fine." She replied in a sure voice, although there was uncertainty in her blue eyes.

Cagalli nodded and they left the base, heading toward the hospital.

* * *

"Chief of Police? Still?" Shinn asked, headache pounding behind his temple. His arm (and in effect his whole body) was throbbing just like his head, and he was almost numb in his lower parts, partly because of the amount of pain meds he was given that morning.

"Yes. I'm sure he'd be very interested in hearing about this situation. However, he won't be too happy to hear that Luna caused this. I was under the impression that she was a nice girl that didn't get into trouble." Murrue explained.

Kira snorted and shook his head, and Murrue gave him a cutting look.

Shinn looked away and tried to ignore the soreness.

"Well, it's normal for parents to know little to nothing about their children, especially during their teenage years." Kira said coldly.

Murrue narrowed her eyes.

"Well, in that case, I'll send this report to Mr. Hawke and maybe he'll stop by later today." She said.

Shinn couldn't stop the groan and closed his eyes again, wanting some Tylenol and a years' rest.

"When Shinn is feeling better." Kira told her, indicating that Mr. Hawke might not even get to speak with the young boy.

"I'll inform him when that time comes." Murrue replied curtly, not backing down from Kira's glare but smiling threateningly at him instead. She didn't take crap from anyone, especially not children.

Kira was about to reply when Shinn squeezed his hand and shook his head, looking tired. Kira softened a bit but was still tense. Murrue got up and looked sympathetically at Shinn.

"I can assure you that I'm going to do my best to bring you justice. I'll be back for more information, but I can tell you're getting pretty tired. I hope you're feeling better soon." She said and smiled at him.

After the shock left his expression he smiled weakly back and nodded. She glanced again at Kira and then left.

A nurse came in just then and checked Shinn before adding a little more morphine, along with another drug she said would balance the bad side effects of the painkiller. Soon Shinn's eyelids were dropping and he fell asleep.

Kira stayed by his side, unsure of whether he should leave while he slept, but not wanting to leave Shinn all alone.

Athrun came back, looking annoyed and concerned. Both Kira and Shinn had forgotten he was even there.

"Some cops kept me from going inside and then began to question me. How'd it go in here?" he asked Kira.

The dark look gave Athrun a sure enough answer, and he frowned. He looked at Shinn and sighed.

"They're releasing him tomorrow at the earliest. We should get some medical supplies for him. Oh, and Luna's father is still the Chief of Police, dunno how I managed to forget that." Kira filled him in.

Athrun gasped and almost dropped his half-empty drink.

"Oh man, this is deep trouble we've got ourselves into. What are we going to do, Kira?" he asked quietly, not wanting to wake Shinn.

Kira shrugged. "Murrue, the detective, said that she would pardon us of any crimes as long as she could bring Shinn justice or whatever. I took it to mean she knows we're involved in gang activity, and possibly that I'm the leader, but that she won't arrest us for it. Not sure what will happen to Luna…honestly don't care either. As long as she stays away from me and Shinn." He said dangerously.

Athrun nodded and they stood in silence.

"Oh, what happened with you and Meyrin last night?" Kira asked suddenly.

"Well, it wasn't very pleasant, of course. She was furious and swore up and down that if she ever saw you she'd…well…for a girl she sure knew how to think up some pretty disturbing scenarios. I tried to calm her, but it didn't work. She tried to find out what we were planning, in many and various ways, I can assure you, but I didn't tell her anything of importance. She tried to fight me when I reminded her that I was treating her to dinner for giving me that jacket. That turned the tables, I can tell you. I pushed as far as I dared but she wouldn't let up. Although I'm pretty sure they're thinking along the same wavelengths as us. You should have seen her face." The bluenette explained.

"Ah, I figured she wouldn't be too happy. But I don't think it would be very wise of her to go after me though, especially after what I did to her sister and what she in turn did to Shinn. According the Pokitknives, I'm a very dangerous man right now." Kira replied darkly.

"I told her that, but she wouldn't listen. Revenge must be a big thing for the sisters. I'd tell you to be careful but…that would just seem surreal, wouldn't it?" Athrun said.

"If any of them come after me, I will defend myself. To the death if need be." Kira answered coldly.

"Kira…"

"Despite Luna acting on her own, I won't be merciful to any of them if they choose that path. Cagalli seemed pretty shaken about Shinn though, so I think she'll most likely hold her girls back for now. She must know I'm furious. Must know I'm a threat to all of them. Even Lacus. We won't go on another date unless they're desperate enough, which I doubt. Dearka will need to be careful Saturday, if I even let him meet with Milly. They might try to ambush him like they did before." Kira said.

"True. So you agree they're using the same plan as us? It could all be a ruse." Athrun asked.

"Apparently they seem to be doing the same thing as us, we'll see. Cagalli might be back to check on Shinn." Kira said.

"Don't hurt her." Athrun said suddenly and darkly.

Kira turned to fully face him, taking in his angry expression.

"Of course not. I simply meant she'll want to talk about Luna. I won't start any trouble…if she doesn't." he told his friend.

Athrun's eyes flared and Kira sighed.

"Which I doubt will happen, she seemed genuinely concerned for Shinn's health, so I really don't think she'll try anything here." Kira said in a weary tone.

Athrun nodded, but still looked angry.

"What about Lacus. You said you were a threat to her. Will you hurt her?"

Kira didn't answer for a while.

"No. That would go too far."

"We've already gone too far, Kira."

"All of them are still alive."

"Luna might not be. Didn't Cagalli leave her in the alleyway?"

"Maybe. She didn't exactly say. I doubt she'd leave her there though; she might be back at the base."

"So what do we do now? Do you think the cops will cause a lot of trouble?"

"I don't know, but we should lay low for a while until everything cools over. I'll have to talk with Mwu again; he might be able to help."

Athrun nodded and they sat in silence again. After a while a doctor came in and advised them to stretch their legs, a.k.a Get Out. They went to have lunch, Kira fidgeting the whole time, worried about leaving Shinn alone.

When they got back to the hospital, Shinn was still asleep, but he had visitors.

Cagalli and Lacus looked up when they heard the door open as Kira and Athrun walked in.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Woot, I'm just bangin' them out, aren't I? Review, review, review, or I'll feel unloved!!!!! Updates should come in soon, there doesn't seem to be a break coming up, even though I'm running out of plot…I'll think of something, but I have a lot I can do with Shinn being hurt and people wanting revenge and so on…hehehehe….-**


	23. Chapter 23: Overwhelmed

**Chapter 23: Overwhelmed**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own any of the Gundam Seed/Destiny peeps, but only the OCs and gang names and…uhh… "ideas" for this fic…yeah…**

* * *

Cagalli straightened and nodded to Kira formally as he stopped, Athrun right behind him. He looked surprised, but not as much as he should have.

'_He must have known we would come, or at least I would come.' _She told herself.

He was looking at Lacus with a puzzled expression, obviously not expecting her to tag along. Lacus was looking down at her feet, her pale hands holding tightly to her purse.

"I was hoping to see how Shinn was doing. The doctors say you guys were visiting, and that a detective came by to question him." Cagalli stated and hinted at the unspoken question.

"She knows something, but won't hold it against us…Luna might be in trouble though." Kira replied, tone going harsh as he said her name. Lacus flinched, his gaze softened.

"What do you mean?" Cagalli asked, suspicious.

"Her father is still the Chief of Police, but we told the detective it was Luna that hurt Shinn. Daddy shouldn't be too happy about that." Kira answered.

"Where is Luna, by the way?"Athrun asked.

Cagalli hesitated, looking at him warily. He smiled a little at her, and a flashback of the night at the bar where they last saw each other made her blush and look away.

"Insane Asylum for the time being. They won't let you in, I told them to let only myself and family members in." she said, looking Kira in the eye.

Kira frowned. He glanced at Shinn's sleeping form and caught Lacus also looking at the boy sadly.

"So you two came to visit? They just upped his meds, so I'm not sure how long he'll be asleep. The detective said Mr. Hawke might come by to question Shinn, but I have no intention of letting him near." He said.

"Kira, we have no choice." Athrun told him.

"I don't care; he'll probably make it look like it was Shinn's fault or something. You know he won't put his own daughter in jail." Kira snapped.

"But isn't the detective on your side?" Lacus spoke up, confused.

"She's on Shinn's side, but she's still a cop." He said more softly than before. She wouldn't meet his gaze.

"Well, how is Shinn, did you guys get to talk with him? When will he be released?" Cagalli asked.

"The injuries are bad, but he'll heal in less than a month, they say. They might release him tomorrow at the earliest. We got to talk before the detective came." Kira replied.

"He seemed pretty okay though, not bitter or anything as far as I can tell." Athrun added.

"That's good, I suppose." Cagalli said and they lapsed into an uncomfortable silence.

"So what are you going to do?" Lacus finally asked, sneaking a look at Kira's face.

He contemplated this for a moment, Cagalli looking expectant and tense.

"I'm not really sure. But if you're afraid I'll go after Luna then don't worry. As long as no more of you girls come after us, we'll leave you alone until Shinn recovers." He finally answered. Athrun glanced at him from the side.

The girls nodded. "We won't, or at least, I won't order or authorize it." Cagalli told him.

He nodded, looking somewhat grateful. He kept looking at Lacus, who was trying not to meet his eye, caught between the terrifying reality that he was a cold, ruthless, Godfather of the rival gang and the fact that her heart sped up every time she saw him.

Cagalli and Athrun glanced at each other, Cagalli trying not to meet his eye, not wanting to remember the weird but necessary (and longed for, despite her denial) kiss they shared at the bar.

'_I was just following the plan, that's all, but he doesn't need to know that. But still, why do I feel this way? Why do I keep blushing?'_ she asked herself.

They heard a sharp intake of breath and looked to see Shinn's face twisted in pain, his hands clutching the sheets tightly. Kira was instantly by his side and trying to calm him.

"I thought they upped his pain meds." Cagalli said, also by Shinn's side.

"They did, maybe he's just having a nightmare." Kira told her, frowning.

"Well, I guess we'll have to come back later, when he's awake. He needs some rest after everything." Lacus said and looked to Cagalli.

"Kira, we need to talk privately some time." Cagalli told him, looking solemn. He nodded, matching her expression. He glanced to Lacus who nodded at him, still looking fearful and sad.

Athrun and Cagalli exchanged glances and he nodded to Lacus who replied in same, and they left.

Kira sighed. Shinn was back to normal, albeit breathing a bit harsher.

"What do you think Cagalli wants to talk about?" Athrun asked, although already knowing.

"Luna."

* * *

"_Luna, why are you doing this? I love you, I've always loved you, can't you see that? Kira was lying to you, he just wanted us to be apart, please, stop!"_ _Shinn pleaded._

"_No! I don't believe you! It was all a lie! You faked your love to get to me! I hate you!" she screamed and stabbed him again._

"_NO! STOP!" he screamed, grabbing her arms and holding them away as she struggled._

"_No! You must pay for what you did! Die Shinn Asuka!" Luna yelled and stabbed him again._

"_AHHH!!!"_

"AHHHH!!!" he woke up screaming, being restrained by nurses while a doctor held a needle in his hand full of some strange yellow liquid.

"Calm down now, it's just a dream, you're safe." The doctor was telling him.

He looked around, relaxing as he realized he was in the hospital. Then he frowned.

"Where's Kira?" his voice was hoarse from screaming. It hurt.

"The young man that came earlier? He left after two young ladies stopped by." A nurse answered.

"Two young ladies? Who were they?" he asked, mind fuzzy from the tranquilizer and morphine they were injecting into his bloodstream.

"Well, one was the one who brought you in last night; the other girl had long pink hair. You were asleep so they said they'd stop by later." The nurse replied.

"Oh." He said, then noticed a man who didn't match any other the others standing back beside the door, against the wall.

He looked familiar, and his expression was grave. He was frowning and looked disappointed; angry.

His name was written on his tan shirt. Police Chief Hawke.

He gulped as the doctors cleared away and allowed the man to step further.

'_Crap, Kira's gone and I can't contact him, what am I going to do?' _he asked, looking around the room desperately.

"Hello Shinn, I'm Police Chief Hawke. I understand that Detective Ramius came by earlier to question you. She told me of your case personally so I decided to stop by to see you." His fake gentleness made Shinn sweat even more. This man obviously didn't like him.

He nodded, afraid of his voice.

"She also told me you mentioned my daughter, Luna, as your attacker. I just want to make sure you're absolutely right it was her." He said.

"Y-yes sir, i-it was her. I…I…" Shinn stammered, not knowing what to say.

Mr. Hawke frowned further, still displeased.

"Would you mind telling me why she decided to attack you? Did you provoke her; did you try to hurt her?" he asked.

"N-no sir. I didn't do anything. She…she was mislead by something…someone else said about me and was angry. I'm not really sure why besides that…we didn't exactly talk it through." Shinn answered, not exactly happy in the current situation. How could this old man blame him for what his daughter did? What right did he have to hate him anyway?

The man looked even angrier after Shinn's smart comment, but he was too dazed and angry to really care.

"And how was she mislead, and by whom?" he asked.

"Why don't you ask her!?" Shinn exclaimed, fed up with all of this. He was tired of all these people asking him questions like he was to blame. Besides, this guy had a detective, and he could just as well ask his daughter about the situation, why'd he have to bother Shinn?

"Young man! I will not have this insolence! Do I need to remind you that I'm Head of the Police here in ORB and Luna's father!? I'm here to ask _you_ what happened, and you better give me an answer or I'll have you arrested for provoking my daughter to attack you!" Mr. Hawke yelled.

"You can't do that! You have no proof!" Shinn shouted, glaring hatefully at this man. Screw becoming best friends with his future (or not) Father-in-Law, this guy was pissing him off!

"I have proof enough! Now tell me what you did to her to send her to the loony bin!" Mr. Hawke bellowed.

Shinn gasped. _'Loony bin? What does he mean? Did Cagalli take her to a Mental Institution? Why?' _he asked himself.

"What do you mean, 'loony bin'?" he asked, confused.

"My daughter is in the ORB Mental Institution! Something you did caused her to be there and I want to know why!" he yelled again, dangerously close to Shinn now.

Now he understood why he was so angry. He was worried about his daughter just like how Kira got worried about him. But still, he shouldn't blame Shinn when he didn't know even half of the story!

"Look, there was some miscommunication, and…she got hurt earlier, but it wasn't me, I mean…I don't even know if it was my fault or not…all I know is that one second I'm trying to catch my breath and the next I'm being stabbed in the dick by the one person I thought I loved." He said evenly, and then gasped.

Mr. Hawke backed off, also surprised. They were silent for a moment until a nurse came rushing in.

"What's all the commotion? Sir, you shouldn't upset him, if his heart rate goes up he may go into cardiac arrest in his condition, you have to be very careful." She said, checking Shinn who found it difficult to breathe.

"That's fine, I'm done with him anyway." He answered and left, looking at Shinn one last time with an unreadable expression.

"Are you alright?" the nurse asked him. He nodded and closed his eyes, leaning his head back. He wanted Kira with him, but at the same time he just wanted to be alone.

* * *

"Shiho, have you gotten anything?" Cagalli asked as she walked into the base.

"We found these Spyware devices in the Artillery Room and in your office. I've got the cameras up and running, but there's nothing indicating who exactly broke in and what all they did." Shiho replied, handing her the two black items.

"Well, we know for sure it was the Bloodlust Gang, and it doesn't really matter who exactly did it, although the information would come in handy so I know who to attack next time." Cags replied.

"How'd it go? Was Kira there, was Shinn awake?" Fllay asked and the girls gathered around, curious.

Fllay glanced at Lacus who still looked off and put a hand on her shoulder. Lacus looked up and Fllay smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"Shinn was still sleeping so we didn't get to talk. His injuries won't heal for a month they say. Kira and Athrun were there. We talked." Cagalli replied.

"About?" Meyrin asked, still looking miffed but calmer now.

"About Shinn's condition and the fact that a detective came to ask Shinn some questions. They told her it was Luna, and her dad might stop by to see Shinn. The detective doesn't look like she's going to arrest us for gang activities so we should be safe." Cagalli specified.

"Was Kira angry? Did he threaten you guys?" Milly asked.

"Not really, he was more concerned about not letting Mr. Hawke speak with Shinn. I told him we needed to speak privately and he agreed. I'll call him later."

"Why was Athrun there?" Stellar asked, looking confused.

"Probably for the same reason Lacus went with me, to check on Shinn and for possible backup." Cagalli answered.

"So when are they releasing Shinn?" Meyrin asked.

Cagalli hesitated, unsure on whether she trusted Mey with the answer.

She rolled her eyes, "I promise, I won't go after him or any of the others unless you order me to." She told her.

"Alright, they're releasing him hopefully tomorrow, he said. I expect they'll take him back to the base. He said that as long as we don't go after him, he won't go after us, until Shinn recovers. So no one make a move unless you clear it with me, alright?" Cagalli told them sternly.

"But what about the break-in? Are we just going to let that slide?" Shiho asked.

Cagalli frowned. "I suppose we shouldn't, but there's really not much we can do right now. If we go after them, Kira will assume it's because of Shinn and Luna, and he'll attack viciously. We don't need any more casualties. We can't afford to anger him just like he can't afford to anger us." She answered.

"Then when you talk with him, make sure to mention it." Shiho replied.

"Right, of course."

"So what now? Are we just going to wait around here doing nothing until Shinn is able to fight again?" Stellar asked.

"No, we're going to prepare. Go get supplies and weapons, find out anything you can undercover. Remember to always go with someone if at all possible. They might have caught on to us, so no dates for the time being, we don't want them to know everything about our plan." Cagalli told them.

"Shiho, keep working on the Spyware and see if you can reconnect these things to use against them. I want three of you to install mini cameras around their base so we can monitor them like they're most likely doing us. Are you sure there are no more cameras and such?" she continued.

"We checked everywhere, but I can double-check just to be sure. Your office may have been tampered with; it looked like the locks have been opened by something other than a key." Shiho responded.

"Alright, let's check into that." Cagalli said and they all set off to work.

* * *

"Hey, how'd it go? Is he alright?" Dearka asked as Kira and Athrun arrived.

"He's doing okay, he might be released tomorrow, but he won't heal for about a month. A detective showed up and started questioning him, and then Cagalli and Lacus showed up." Kira answered.

"What?" Yzak asked, brows furrowed.

"Detective? Cagalli and Lacus?" Rey asked.

Kira sighed and told them of the events of the day, Athrun adding stuff as they went along.

"Man, that doesn't sound good." Dearka said when they were done.

"Yeah, what'll happen if they investigate further? You think they'll try to arrest us?" Yzak asked.

"Do you think Shinn is alright emotionally? Will he try anything?" Nicol asked suddenly.

"I think the police will waive the gang stuff for now, so I'm not too worried, but go ahead and plan for anything that might happen. I…I don't know about Shinn emotionally, he was scared about the police and wasn't happy about the injuries, but he didn't say anything about wanting to hurt Luna or anyone else." Kira answered them both.

"Oh, the girls found the Spyware devices. They know we broke in." Dearka announced.

Kira frowned. "That was a little too quick. Did you get any useful information?" he asked.

"Not much, they have this new chick, Shiho I think her name is. She might have helped them find the Spyware and stuff. Seemed pretty smart but wasn't all that hot." Dearka replied casually.

Yzak snorted and the two exchanged a glance. Kira didn't bother asking what that was all about.

"Well, find out as much as you can about this new girl and try to figure out their plans. No dates until I say so or we know what they're doing." Kira told them.

They nodded and went about their duties and Kira sat down in a chair, sighing and rubbing his face with his hands.

Nicol and Athrun remained with him, Athrun looking as weary as Kira and Nicol looking concerned and sad.

"Shinn told me." Kira said and looked at Nicol carefully. Nicol decided not to play dumb and stood straighter.

"What are the consequences of my actions?" he asked.

Athrun glanced between them, confused and curious, but didn't say anything. Kira continued looking at Nicol, not saying anything for a while.

"If you come up with anything useful, let me know." was all he said before he went into his room and shut the door.

Nicol looked shocked and Athrun's curiosity grew. They looked at each other and with a sheepish grin, Nicol told him of the secret meetings between him and Lacus.

Could a chance of Peace actually be possible?

* * *

**-Author's Note: I tried to make it longer than the others ones and managed to cram a lot of stuff in here. Please review and tell me what you think! Any questions, comments, etc. are welcome! Hopefully I'll update soon as usual. PEACE!-**


	24. Chapter 24: Moving Forward

**Chapter 24: Moving Forward**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't want to say it anymore!!!!!**

**Kira: I OWN EVERYTHING! WAHAHAHAHA!!!!**

**Athrun: Besides the OCs and –plot- for this fic.**

**Shinn: What do I own?**

**Yzak: Nothing!!!**

**Shinn: -pouts-**

* * *

"Answer me! Did he hurt you or not!?" Robert Hawke yelled at the still form lying strapped onto the white bed.

"It wasn't him!" Luna finally screamed back, surprising him.

"Shinn broke my heart, Kira broke my spirit." She whispered.

"Kira? Kira Yamato? The boy who took over the Bloodlust Gang?" Bob (yes, his name is Bob) asked his daughter.

"Yes. Only he's no longer a boy. Maybe he _was _lying…but no, they're all lying…there is no truth with men…" she began mumbling.

"Luna, I can put them all behind bars where they belong, just tell me what happened to you." Mr. Hawke said, softer than before.

Luna kept mumbling. "I should have fought harder, was Shinn really at fault? Of course h was, he was lying and playing me the whole time, that's what Kira said. But his eyes, those eyes looked sincere…who is the liar among the thieves?"

"Luna, Luna please answer me and I'll do all that I can to help you with this." Her father pleaded, knowing that he was losing her.

She shook her head. "I don't remember anything except his face, that look…" her face grew white and her eyes widened.

That was all the warning he got before she started screaming.

* * *

Meyrin walked into Andy's Guns and Ammo with a list in her hand. She remembered when her sister Luna was here buying supplies for the gang after their last battle, when Shinn came in and begged her to go out with her and they captured him. That seemed so long ago to her now, after what's happened.

In reality, it's only been about a week or so.

"Hey, that was quick, how'd your latest operation go? The rumors have been running wild." Andy said when he saw her. She put on a smile and walked up to him.

"Hey, yeah, things have been pretty crazy lately. The bargain plan didn't work too well since they captured Lacus and Milly. We had to make an exchange and things have just gone downhill since then." She told him.

"Really now? And the Rau thing, did you know they were going to do that?" Andy asked carefully. He was one of the Reapers.

"So what about the latest rumors? Shinn's in the hospital." He said.

"Yeah, Kira nearly killed Luna and told her some stuff and she went after Shinn. She…she's in the Insane Asylum, but she just needs some rest." Meyrin said, trying to remain calm.

He frowned and looked sad. "Didn't know the kid had it in him. So he's really changed huh? That sucks. I'm really sorry, Mey."

She nodded and handed him the list and he got to work preparing their order. She looked around and began inspecting the new products while she waited.

'_I have to get Kira back somehow, but how? He won't listen to Cagalli no matter what she says, we have to take action, but I don't want to endanger any of the other girls.'_ She thought.

"Hey Mey, we should get some of these while we're here." Fllay called from across the store, looking at some more technical equipment designed for jamming airwaves, creating explosions, wiring up bombs, etc.

"Yeah, they'd be useful, but they're so expensive. With what those jerks took, we might not be able to afford it this time. Money's running low since we haven't pulled a job in a while." She replied as she walked over.

"True. We've been busy." Fllay replied.

For money, the girls try not to resort to stealing by doing jobs for merchants or individuals requiring their skills. They also receive money from the Reapers whenever they win a fight against Bloodlust or when they completed a mission.

"Alright girls, you're all set. You wanna get one of those? Free of charge for you ladies." Andy told them.

"Really? But they're expensive!" Mey said as they walked to the counter.

"I'll be fine; people buy it despite the cost. Here." Andy said and handed over the merchandise, including the mech they were looking at.

"Thanks, Andy. We really appreciate it." Flay said and gave him a wink and they left. Andy chuckled and greeted another customer.

* * *

Kira sat in his room, lying on his bed while staring at the ceiling. He didn't really know what he could do except focus on the Spy Operation, but he couldn't wholly commit to it with Shinn in the hospital, Luna in the Mental Institution, and all the tension in the air. He really needed to relax, but he couldn't stop thinking about his mixed feelings for Shinn.

He sighed and closed his eyes.

'_This Operation: Lust was really a bad idea. But at least we're moving forward with the spy job, even though we should've done that a long time ago. We just didn't have enough time to get into their base, that battle was when we were supposed to plant them, but they caught onto us and we fought. Ever since then we forgot about it I guess. I'm sure they're gonna try to spy on us now that they know what we're trying to do. The boys will have to be careful and make some rounds to try to catch them in the act, or at least before they get too much info.' _He thought to himself.

There was a knock on his door and he opened his eyes.

"Who is it and what do you want?" he answered groggily.

"It's me, Athrun, we're going out and you're coming with us."

"Athrun, I'm not in the mood."

"You're exactly in the mood. Stop worrying about Shinn and come have some fun, it's been a while and everything's so tense right now that it'll do us all some good."

Kira sighed and got up, opening the door and smiling back at Athrun, although not as wholeheartedly.

"Who's going to stay here and guard the base?" he asked.

"Rey and Nicol, they're not the partying types." Athrun told him.

Yzak and Dearka were waiting by the door, and they all left to go to Rockstar Bar, their favorite hangout.

"Hey! Haven't seen you boys in a while, how's it goin'?" Jerry, the bartender, asked as they came in.

"Well, Shinn's in the hospital, things have been tense so we decided to come loosen up. Is the pool table open?" Athrun said.

"Wow, what happened with that? Sure, do ya want the usual?" he asked.

"Yeah. It's a long story." Athrun told him.

"Quit yammerin' and get over here so I can kick your butt like always!" Yzak called.

"What are you talking about? I always win at pool." Athrun said.

"Oh boy, there they go." Dearka said and rolled his eyes, pool stick in his hand. He glanced at Kira who was watching them with his own pool stick he normally uses.

"Kira always beats us so I don't know why you even try." He added.

"Not always. But usually." Kira said and smirked.

"Yeah! Show 'em your stuff Godfather!" Dearka said when it was Kira's turn.

His shot made two balls into the hole, and so the night began.

* * *

"Detective Ramius! I need your report about the Shinn case." Bob Hawke called when he saw her in the office.

"Alright, did you talk with him?" she asked as she handed the manila envelope over.

"Yes, and he told me some very disturbing things. I went back to see my daughter and she kept spouting nonsense about liars! She said that Shinn 'broke her heart' or some such and that this Kira boy 'broke her spirit'! We need to know what happened before the incident!" he replied.

"Well, they didn't mention any events that led up to what happened, but I'll ask the next time I see them." Murrue told him.

He nodded. "Good, I want to know everything, and don't be afraid to threaten pulling them up on charges of gang activity." He told her.

"But sir, you said to ignore any crimes unrelated to the ones we're investigating. You told me not to hold it against them if it didn't have to do with what happened. If you pull Kira and Shinn up on charges, you have to charge your daughters as well." She said.

He growled angrily, running his hands through his hair. "Look, I just want to know what happened and why, so that my daughter can be well again. I'll have to talk with Meyrin soon anyway, just find out what they're hiding!" he exclaimed.

"Yes sir. I've told the doctors and staff to keep me updated on everything that goes on, so far he's had two other visitors besides Kira and Athrun; Cagalli Ula Attha and Lacus Clyne." She reported.

"Jeez! Attha and Clyne as well? What's Athrun's last name?" he asked.

"Zala."

"ZALA!? The late Chairman of PLANTs?!" he yelled, shocked.

"Yes sir."

He sat down, stunned beyond his belief. Those were all children of people in power, even higher up than himself…much higher up.

"Get the rest of the names of the gang members on both sides. This is bigger than I thought." He finally said.

She nodded and left, slightly smiling.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Okay, I have to stop for now. Shinn will return "home" in the next chappy and wonderful things will ensue from that! I'm sorry but his torture isn't quite over yet, but only one person will continue to hurt him, so ha! Please review and tell me what you think okay!-**


	25. Chapter 25: Spying and Surviving

**Chapter 25: Spying and Surviving**

**Disclaimer:**** I only own the OCs and plot of this particular fiction.**

* * *

Shinn woke up and sat up quickly, assessing his wounds. There was a lot of pain coming from his right arm and he could barely feel his lower parts, but he knew that if he told the nurse when she came to examine him they wouldn't let him leave.

He sighed and thought about what would happen when he returned to the base. Was Kira mad at him? What were they going to do? And what's gonna happen with the police investigating everything?

"Is everything alright, Shinn?" a female voice snapped him back to the present and he realized he was frowning.

"Um, yeah, everything's fine. When can I leave?" he asked expectantly.

"The doctor is going to examine you and see if we need to run any additional tests, so maybe in the afternoon. Do you have someone to pick you up?" the nurse told him.

"Yes." Shinn replied, frowning again. He didn't like hospitals, and he especially didn't want to stay in that bed any more. He was itching to get out, to do something, to see Kira.

"I know you'd rather be home, but we have to make sure you're healthy enough." She said as she began checking the monitors and adjusting medicine doses.

"Can I at least get out of this room and stretch my legs a bit?" he asked, already dangling his legs off the side of the bed.

She looked unsure. "I don't know if that's a good idea or not. You need to stay and rest. With your injuries you shouldn't be walking around this early after surgery." She told him.

He groaned and fell back in the bed. She looked sympathetic and said that she would have the doctor check on him as soon as possible.

He sighed and closed his eyes, moving his legs back onto the bed. He understood what she was saying, but he still had the urge to get up and run away from here. He hated just sitting around doing nothing.

Plus, he didn't want to get caught alone with the detective or the Chief of Police again.

He was really worried about how all of this would play out. He was supposed to be living with his foster parents. He had actually run away to live with Kira at the base, and then Kira decided to speak with Durandal, the Reaper who happened to be a successful lawyer and hopeful next-in-line to be Chairman of PLANTs. Since Durandal knew the situation he manipulated the system and let Shinn stay with Kira, saying his foster parents were neglecting him and that he and Kira were related (distantly) or something like that.

But with the Chief of Police personally interested he knew that they were in trouble. Man, what a mess.

* * *

"Did you get the supplies?" Cagalli asked when Meyrin and Fllay walked in.

"Yeah, we're gonna unload it in the back." Mey told her and she nodded.

The base was covered with technical devices, cameras, computers, boxes of weapons and machinery. The girls were getting ready for some serious payback.

"Stellar, Shiho, and myself are gonna install the cameras. Most likely they're sticking close to the base so we need to get in and get out quickly before they notice us, alright?" Cagalli announced.

"Right now?" Lacus asked.

"Yeah, one of our contacts tipped me off about the boys being at Rockstar bar last night, they got pretty hammered and didn't leave until early in the morning, they're most likely still asleep, but we still need to be careful." Cagalli explained.

"Alright, we'll guard the base while you're gone." Lacus replied.

Cagalli nodded and the girls carried some equipment out to her car before driving away. Lacus looked worriedly out of the window.

* * *

Detective Murrue Ramius hurried down the hallway, knowing that Shinn would most likely bolt as soon as he could.

Thankfully his doctor was quite busy with other patients and hadn't seen him yet, so she had some time with him before he went back to his base, where she knew she was more than unwelcome.

She reached the doorway and saw him flipping channels with an irritated and bored expression on his face. She smiled a little and then put on a serious face as she walked into the room.

"Shinn Asuka. Nice to see you again. Are you feeling any better?" she asked.

His face went from shock to annoyance to worry as he saw her walk in, and she was tied between feeling resentful or amused at this.

"A little, they're going to release me this afternoon." He answered, narrowing his eyes and sitting up more in the bed.

"That's good I suppose. I bet you can't wait to return home. With Kira." She said and sat down beside him.

He opened his mouth to answer and then closed it quickly, glaring at her.

"If you came here to trick me into giving you information then you might as well leave." He growled.

She was taken a-back by his statement but continued on.

"Well, you did leave quite a few things out yesterday. I need some things cleared up." She explained.

He simply stared at her with a level gaze. He was returning to his old self.

"First of all, why did Luna attack you in the first place?" she asked, ignoring his glare.

"Why don't you ask her? Her daddy was already here and tried to fight me and arrest me, so go ask him while you're at it." He snorted.

She frowned.

"He didn't get anything substantial from her so he asked me to ask you. Look, I'm trying to help you out here, not hurt you." She told him.

"Yeah right. You'll find a way to put me in jail anyway." He said darkly.

"No I won't unless you physically harmed someone. Now tell me what happened to Luna to make her attack you. I know it has something to do with Kira so if you won't tell me I'll ask him." She threatened.

"You won't get anything out of him." He stated.

"Try me." Her gaze showed him that she was no pushover and wouldn't back down, guns pointing at her face or not.

After a moment staring each other down Shinn sighed and just decided to get it over with. He told her a little bit about their relationship and then about what happened, giving as little details as possible so as to not incriminate Kira any more than possible and left out all the gang-related stuff.

"So Kira hurt Luna to get back at you, and she believed his lies and went after you?" Murrue asked.

"Yes." Shinn replied.

There was silence for a moment.

"And this has nothing to do with any gang operation or activity?" she asked him evenly.

"No, it was strictly between the three of us. It wasn't a part of any plan we were engaging in." he replied harshly.

She smiled. "Then that makes life pretty simple now doesn't it?"

"Not really. What are you going to do? Lock Luna up?" he asked.

"Well, that's where things get complicated. If I lock Luna up, I have to lock Kira up as well. Even if that was done, Mr. Hawke wouldn't appreciate his daughter being in jail."

"Of course he wouldn't. He'd rather have Kira and me in jail while his precious little girls get to run around free." He spat, furious.

"He's a father; his judgment is a bit biased."

"I know. I love Luna and I really don't want her locked up. If you legals hadn't have jumped in this wouldn't be complicated." He told her truthfully.

"We're only trying to help and find the truth." She replied.

"The truth is life is screwed up and you can't trust anyone. Kira was jealous, Luna was gullible, and I got stabbed."

She was about to reply when the doctor finally arrived. She gave Shinn her card and told him she would make another visit before leaving.

* * *

Cagalli motioned for Stellar to move forward. Her gun was out and she was on high alert. They were across the street from the Bloodlust base. So far they had no trouble.

"I want a camera on this building facing the base, top left corner. I want another one from the side building facing the alleyway next door. Place a sound and movement sweep on the roof." She ordered.

Stellar began climbing the metal stairs on the side of the apartment building in front of the base. Shiho crossed the street quickly with Cagalli behind her and went to the office building across from the base and also began climbing.

Cagalli scoped out the base and checked corners and gutters for surveillance. She checked around back and saw that all their cars and motorcycles were there. She took a deep breath and hopped on top of the garbage dump beside the wall. She jumped up and grabbed the tip of the roof and lifted herself onto it.

She signaled to Stellar and Shiho to keep a look-out as she walked swiftly and noiselessly to the center of the roof.

* * *

_Ring!_

_Ring!_

_Ring!_

"Hello?" Kira answered groggily.

"_It's me, Shinn. You can come pick me up now. The doctors say I can leave and that they'll contact us with all the test results and everything. He needs to speak with you about some stuff. Something about 'how to take care of me' or whatever."_ Shinn grumbled.

Kira looked at the clock. It was one in the afternoon.

"Ah, sorry, we uh…had a late night last night. I'll be there soon, try not to go nuts alright?" Kira said as he got out of his bed and pulled on some fresh clothes.

Shinn sighed on the other line. _"Just get here okay? I hate hospitals." _He said.

Kira chuckled and they hung up.

He stretched and grabbed his keys, walking into the living room. The windows were drawn but he heard a noise in the kitchen so he went there to see who else was up.

Nicol was pouring some orange juice into a glass and looked up when he heard Kira walk in.

"Shinn wants me to pick him up." Kira told him and grabbed a soda.

"He's all clear?" Nicol asked, taking a sip out of his drink.

"Yeah, the doctor needs to speak with me about some stuff. Keep a look-out while I'm gone. The girls have been too quiet for my liking." He replied.

"Okay." Nicol said.

"Is anyone else up?" Kira asked as he walked to the side door.

"Rey, but the others are out cold." Nicol answered.

"Tell them to start surveillance once they awake alright?"

"Got it."

Kira walked out of the door and glanced around. He walked to his car and stopped.

Stellar was hiding underneath the window inside of an abandoned apartment, Shiho was wedged between the stairs a couple of floors from the ground, using the rusted brown metal as camouflage.

Cagalli was lying flat on her stomach, holding her breath while her gun was ready.

Kira glanced around and noticed that the metal stairs usually dangling a few feet from the ground was pulled down. He looked at his watch and got into the front seat of his car, driving away.

Cagalli let out her breath and stood carefully, she motioned for the girls to hurry, thanking God that Kira didn't see them.

* * *

Kira arrived at the hospital and smiled as he strutted into Shinn's room where he was pacing, despite the doctor's words of caution.

"Finally! Now can I go?" Shinn exclaimed and looked at the doctor.

"I need to speak with Mr. Yamato for a moment. He is your legal guardian, correct?" the doctor asked.

"Yes I am." Kira said. Shinn stood next to him and kept fidgeting with his bloodied clothes.

After Dr. Stewart explained his medicine and told him Shinn had to wear a sling for a week and keep his bandages on for that long they left, Shinn practically running out of the building.

They got in the car and Shinn sighed, smiling in relief. Kira smiled at him and leaned him, receiving an eager kiss.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Aha! I made it through getting Shinn home! What will the police do? Will Cagalli's spy plan work better than the boys? All these questions may or may not be answered soon! Please review and tell me what you think, any questions, comments, ideas, suggestions, etc. are always welcome! Also, if you would like to submit any blooper ideas feel free, I need some bloopers for my other Gundam Seed/Destiny fic, Secret to Love. Peace out!-**


	26. Chapter 26: Savor

**Chapter 26: Savor**

**Disclaimer:**** I only own the weird crap that happens in this story and any OCs I happen to throw in.**

* * *

Shinn fidgeted with his sling the whole way back to the base, complaining about having to wear it for a week.

When they arrived, Kira held back, telling Shinn to go ahead inside. The boy gave him an odd look but went inside quickly.

Kira glanced around carefully, pretending to fix something in his back seat as he scanned the area. He knew something was up. The girls had been quiet for too long, as he said to Nicol earlier.

After finding nothing leading him to further believe that some of the girls were there earlier he went inside, where the rest of the gang was awake and getting ready for surveillance.

* * *

"That was close, Cags, hopefully we got what we needed in time, because I'm sure we won't have another chance any time soon to get near the base again." Shiho told her when they returned.

"I know, we'll just have to work with what we've got. I don't want to stir up any more trouble for now, we can wait until things calm or everything will just spiral out of control again. We already have one girl in the mental institution; I don't want another in the cemetery." Cagalli replied.

"They didn't catch you?" Meyrin asked.

"No, at least no one came after us. Kira was leaving while we were there, but I don't think he saw us, he was in a hurry." She told her.

"Well that's good, I'm glad everyone is okay." Lacus said.

"For now at least." Mey said.

Cagalli sighed. "I think it's time I got to the bottom of all this. I'm going to see Luna- _alone_." She said, giving Meyrin a knowing and threatening look.

Meyrin glared at her. "You can't keep me from seeing my sister, Leader or not, Cagalli." She warned.

"I'm not, but I want to speak with Luna alone and I don't want you confusing her or yelling at her. After I speak with her you can spend all the time you want with her, besides, I need to see what the doctors have discovered about her condition." She replied.

"I told you she's not crazy." Meyrin said harshly, although looking relieved.

"I know that, but she still needs help and I'm worried about her, what Kira did and what she did to Shinn can really mess with her brain." Cagalli told her. "Besides, you guys have to make sure the boys don't discover the cameras and watch their every movement. If they go somewhere neutral or within our reach, spy on them there and find out what they're planning and what their next move will be, if this was just the beginning of something big, I want to know. Trace phone calls and billing information, find out if they're stocking up on any weapons and make sure they can't find out anything about us. Right now we're seeing which of us is better and we need to be the ones on top or we won't make it out alive."

The girls nodded and Meyrin looked determined again. She went over to Shiho and they began scanning the cameras. Stellar joined them and they began the investigation.

"Lacus, I want you to see what all that detective is doing with Shinn's case, and I want you to keep a close eye on Robert Hawke. We need to know where this case is leading before it's too late, even though the boys are more in trouble. If Kira is caught by the law he may do something drastic, I want to know what he's thinking on every account so I can plan ahead and be prepared. We were blind and foolish before, I don't want to be that vulnerable again." Cagalli told the girl.

She nodded and got to work, happy for being given something to do besides wandering around worriedly. Tracking the detective's and Mr. Hawke's movements would keep her distracted enough to not think about Kira's actions and how she felt about the young man.

"Fllay, hit the streets and hit the shops. Inform the girls here of anything useful and stock up on some supplies. Take Stellar with you." She told her.

"Ooo shopping! Will do Cagalli-san!" Fllay replied and grinned at Stellar before dashing out of the base with her purse and keys.

Cagalli went into her office and checked all her drawers. Nothing was touched, even though she knew that whoever broke into her office found the fake plans she had carefully placed in an open drawer.

'_Hopefully he'll just think I'm cocky, but maybe they'll find out the trick…' _she thought to herself.

She unlocked the bottom drawer and pulled it open. There was a small black box, a manila envelope, and a few other items. She stared at the black box and finally took it out, holding it to the light.

She opened it slowly and took out the golden band with a medium-sized diamond sparkling between two small rubies.

* * *

"Hey the kid's back!" Dearka called as he saw Shinn walk in. The other boys came out into the living room to greet their youngest member.

"How are you feeling?" Nicol asked.

"I'm fine, really. They're making me wear this stupid sling even though I don't need it." Shinn replied.

"Well at least you're still alive. I'm sure the sling isn't too bad." Athrun responded.

"Tch, listen to him already complaining! Do we seriously have to put up with this for a whole week?" Yzak said, although smiling at Shinn jokingly.

Shinn smirked.

"Aw now don't start in on him now! He just got back from the hospital!" Dearka cried.

"Relax, it's okay." Shinn told him.

"Well, I'm glad you still have a sense of humor after all this." Rey commented.

"Yeah me too." Shinn replied.

"Are you hungry, Shinn?" Kira asked as he came inside.

"Yes, actually, the food there tastes like crap." Shinn answered.

Kira chuckled and they began making lunch (breakfast for a few of the boys). After they ate Kira took Shinn to his room after the guys told him how glad they were that he was okay, expressing their concerns, and joking around.

Shinn sighed and lay on the bed. Kira got a cup of water and handed him a pain pill that he gulped down. He sat next to him and they were quiet for a moment.

"Shinn, I know you probably don't want to talk about this right now, but I have to know: what are your feelings toward Lunamaria?" Kira asked suddenly.

Shinn turned to him quickly but didn't say anything, they stared at each other for a moment and Shinn laid his head on Kira's shoulder.

"I…I'm not sure. I mean…I guess I'm just confused." He said. Kira motioned for him to continue.

"Kira, you realize that she…hurt me because of you, because of what you told her and what you did to her. She thinks it's my fault and that I set the whole thing up. I just don't understand why you did that." He confessed but didn't pull away when Kira brushed his cheek.

"But I don't feel like being mad at you and I can't bring myself to hate Luna. She was angry and hurt, and simply reacted instinctively. I would have done the same."

"Okay, that's good I guess. I don't have to worry about you going after her or trying to kill yourself." Kira said.

"But…do you still…love her?" he asked carefully.

He felt Shinn stiffen and wondered if he went too far, but didn't want to take it back because he wanted and needed to know the answer.

"I…don't know Kira." He finally answered after a moment.

Kira held Shinn tighter, not wanting to let the boy go now that he finally had him in his arms.

He was jealous and angry, and he wasn't exactly thinking when he planned the attack at the beach. He just wanted to hurt Shinn and keep him to himself. He wanted to isolate him so that he wouldn't have anyone else to turn to, and he didn't want him to keep his relationship with Luna because he knew that one day he'd have to let him go.

But he didn't want or expect any of this, and now he wished that he could take it all back and erase the past so they could all start over.

Shinn suddenly turned and straddled Kira, throwing his sling to the ground as he did so that he could cup Kira's cheeks and kiss him properly. Kira grabbed his wrists but then slid his hands to his waist, deepening the kiss and savoring the boy's taste.

Shinn had killed for him. He had destroyed the one man who had broken him. He had stayed with him after what he did to him. He promised that he would never leave. Kira knew that Shinn would die for him, and he knew that he would do the same. He fought the urge to kill Luna only because he knew Shinn cared for her, that's why he didn't kill her at the beach and told Cagalli where to find the girl.

He pulled Shinn closer as he felt tears. He reached up and wiped Shinn's face, knowing that he needed him now more than ever.

Their breathing grew heavy as they ripped each other's clothes off and feverishly ran their hands over each other, never speaking as they comforted each other. Kira was careful not to grip Shinn's right arm too much and turned him over on his stomach, trying despite his lustful eagerness to be gentle.

Shinn fell asleep in his arms afterwards, the pills taking full effect. Kira watched him sleep and didn't leave his side, wanting to make the moment last a lifetime yet knowing that it wouldn't last much longer.

* * *

Cagalli entered the hospital and was guided to the right wing of the building so she could speak with the doctor looking after Luna. She glanced around the place worriedly, hoping Luna would recover soon so she could get her out of there.

When she saw the doctor looking over a chart she hurried to him. He looked up with a serious expression, looking solemn. Cagalli's hopeful smile slowly disappeared at the man's expression.

"You're Cagalli? The woman who informed us of the girl's condition?" he asked.

"Yes, how is she doing? Has her father come to see her yet?" she asked in a concerned tone.

"Well, she hasn't gotten to a normal state of mind yet, but her father has seen her twice already. I have followed all of your instructions and so far he's the only family that's come." He replied.

She nodded. "Good, can I see her?" she asked.

He was quiet for a moment as he frowned. She didn't like his expression and knew that something was wrong; she only hoped that Luna was alright. Dread quickened her heart-beat and she could feel the blood pulsing through her veins as a knot formed in her chest.

If Luna had hurt herself, or if she would never be able to return to normal, Cagalli would never forgive herself or Kira.

Finally the man opened his mouth to speak as Cagalli held her breath.

"We ran the normal tests and saw something interesting, so we ran a few extra and found out something most distressing. I haven't told her father yet because we're unsure of how correct the results are."

"What do you mean, what's wrong?" Cagalli asked, furrowing her eyebrows and hoping it wasn't anything too serious that would forever damage the young girl.

"It appears that Lunamaria Hawke is pregnant."

* * *

**-Author's Note: Wahaha! And there's more where that came from folks! You knew that I wouldn't continue this right now so don't be so shocked! However, if you have any questions, comments, suggestions or ideas please feel free to let me know! Hopefully this chappy was long enough although I have a feeling it isn't, but oh well! I'll try to update soon but don't hold me to it, please be sure to read The Blood of a Pirate, the sequel to The Pirate's Treasure if you're a fan of my pirate fic, I should update that soon as well so if I don't just remind me. Alright, I think that's it for now, thanks and peace out!-**


	27. Chapter 27: A Change in Perspectives

**Chapter 27: A Change in Perspectives**

**Disclaimer:**** So I only own the plot and OCs because the people who wrote and drew Gundam Seed/Destiny own those things…oh and the gang names are mine so no stealing without my permission!**

* * *

"WHAT!?" Cagalli Ula Attha screamed at the top of her lungs, making the doctor take sudden steps back at her outburst. His eyes were wide but then returned to normal size as he calmed himself in able to calm her.

"Ma'am, please, I wasn't sure whether I should have told you first, and normally this hospital doesn't disclose such information to mere friends of the subject, but since we don't know the full details of how she got here or why, telling the Chief of Police seemed risky for her health." He explained in a neutral, professional tone.

Cagalli steadied herself against the wall as she let the information sink in. Her rapid breathing and heart-rate slowly returned to normal, but some things weren't clicking just yet.

'_Risky for her health? How in the world did she get pregnant in the first place!? Her only boyfriend I knew of was Shinn…' _her breathing stopped as she realized what this meant. Her eyes were wide and she stood still, unable to move, unable to speak.

Shinn had gotten Luna pregnant, whether it was when he was a captive or if they met afterwards somehow, she knew that it was him. The realization sent her into shock; this definitely wasn't good news for anyone. She was glad the doctor hadn't told her father yet.

"Thank you for telling me first, I'm sorry I freaked out." She said, barely above a whisper. She cleared her throat and regained her composure as he replied.

"You're welcome, but I have to tell her father sometime. And I would like to know the whole story behind her being here in the first place." He told her, giving her a knowing and expectant look.

She nodded and followed him into his office and she began explaining the events of the week to him, making sure he wouldn't disclose any of the information to Luna's father or anyone else, even though he already knew most everything.

He told her that they would monitor Luna very closely, and would try to tell Luna if she ever got into a stable enough mood to handle the news. Cagalli promised to come back often to check up on her and asked him to update her on any changes. After they talked her took her into the girl's room and left them alone for a few moments.

Cagalli stared down at her friend, who looked to be asleep. She was bound to her bed by leather restraints which made Cagalli wince. She shouldn't be there; she shouldn't be going through all this.

Luna snapped open her eyes and looked around, purple locked on amber and silence reigned.

"Luna, it's me Cagalli." The blonde decided to break the silence first.

"I know." The other answered.

"How…are you feeling?" she asked hesitantly.

Luna sighed and stared at the ceiling. "I'm strapped to a bed in an Insane Asylum because I tried to castrate my boyfriend after almost being drowned by the enemy Godfather, how do you think I'm feeling?" she asked a little harshly.

Cagalli flinched and took a few steps closer. "I'm sorry about all of this, I should have gotten you help sooner, I should've tried harder to reason with you instead of letting you run out of the base like that. I should have killed Kira for what he did to you."

"No, I should have listened to you and remained calm, but I just couldn't think rationally after what had happened. I was determined to get revenge; it was like I was acting on impulse. But Kira…" she trailed off and turned to give Cagalli a strange look.

"I've been thinking, and I've come up with a few possible reasons why he would do that to me. It wasn't like him, even I know that, he hasn't changed _that_ much. One, he was jealous of me and Shinn, we know they're in some kind of relationship, so that might be it. Two, he's finally decided to do something drastic to scare us into giving up. Or three, the whole Reaper thing pissed him off more than we planned it to and this was his way of getting us back." She said.

Cagalli thought these things over and realized they all could be why Kira decided to do what he did. She needed to have that talk with him, and soon.

"I'm going to speak with him about all of this and get to the bottom of it. He can't and won't get away with this." Cagalli told her, looking her in the eye to show that she was serious.

Luna nodded and they were silent again. Cagalli wondered whether she should tell Luna she was pregnant, since being told by the doctors wouldn't be very comforting. She seemed to be in a good enough mood, as far as she could tell from what the doctor told her. She was wild and unstable when her father came to visit, this might be the only calm conversation she's had since arriving.

"Luna, there's something you should know." Cagalli told her hesitantly. Luna looked to her again with a cold, indifferent yet knowing kind of expression.

"I already know I'm pregnant. I was late for my period and took the test a couple days ago. It's Shinn's. From when we held him and Dearka prisoner." The maroon-haired girl said, surprising Cagalli.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"I wasn't sure if I should, I mean, I didn't know what to do. I thought you'd get mad and order an abortion or something."

Cagalli opened her mouth to protest but then closed it, knowing she would have done something like that. She began to wonder how things would change now, and knew she had to tell Shinn the news, but should Luna tell him?

She eyed her friend. She looked somewhat normal, but her expression was that of someone dark and dangerous. She didn't look like the cheerful, happy girl of a couple days ago; she looked like a stranger, with cold dark eyes, straight lips, and a blatant outlook on the whole.

"Well, I'll get a doctor so he can check up on you. They say you haven't really been yourself lately." She said cautiously.

"I admit to being a bit overwhelmed and crazed at first. I was still trying to recover from what Kira did to me while realizing what all I did and tried to do to Shinn. That stuff can really wear down your mind and frazzle you. And then dad came in screaming at me trying to throw Shinn and Kira in jail, I just…I couldn't take it anymore so I guess I exploded, but I think I'm better now, not completely okay, but better." Luna confessed.

"I'm glad, and I'm sorry about everything. Hopefully the doctors will let you come back home soon, because I really don't like you being here when you're not technically crazy. Plus Meyrin is driving me nuts for you being in here." Cagalli sighed. "Things are getting really bad, we need to stop this before it's too late."

She looked at her friend, looked at the restraints and the girls bloated stomach. _'But I think it's already too late.' _She thought to herself.

Luna didn't notice her looks and nodded. "Tell Mey to chill out, I'm fine and will be back hopefully soon. If we can just lay low for a while things might calm down. What has Kira done so far?"

"He tried to install spyware but we caught it in time, hopefully. Besides picking up Shinn he hasn't made a move that I know of. They haven't asked for any more dates and neither have we. We might have to move to a different plan. If we continue on this path it will only lead to more blood and destruction." Cags replied.

"Well, it seems they're giving us some breathing room, either that or preparing for something big." Luna commented.

"That's what I'm thinking, so me, Stellar, and Shiho installed some spyware of our own on their base and are looking for information. We've stocked up on supplies and are getting ready for whatever they throw at us next."

"Good, I hope to be of some help soon."

Cagalli nodded and they smiled slightly at each other. She left the room and informed the doctor of Luna's stable condition and that she had already known of her pregnancy.

"Does she know who the father is?" the doctor asked, a hint of curiosity hidden behind his professional attitude.

Cagalli simply nodded, and he probably guessed at who it was by what they had talked about earlier. He told her he'd keep her informed and would start the paperwork to get Luna released soon, but stressed the importance of them knowing for sure she was fine now and wasn't going to have another "episode" as he called it. After that she left the building, wondering who and how she was going to tell first.

She sat in her car and glanced at her phone. She needed to tell Shinn. She needed to tell Mey. She didn't want Kira to go berserk or Shinn for that matter. She didn't want to make things worse; she didn't want to step on any toes.

She sighed and pulled into a grocery store parking lot. She parked and pressed a speed-dial button on her phone and waited for the answer.

"_Hello?" _came the groggy and wary voice of Shinn Asuka.

He's the father, he should know first. Luna wouldn't be able to tell him for a while, so Cagalli decided to just get it over with now. She would deal with the consequences.

"It's me, Cagalli." She told him, although she figures he already knew who it was.

"_Um, hi?" _he wasn't sure why she called.

"Look, I have some big news. I'm not sure whether Kira should know just yet, although it's really up to you, but it's not something to be taken lightly, okay?" she told him, making sure he knew not to go running to Kira for guidance on this and possibly making things worse.

"_I understand. What's wrong?" _he asked, serious and sober.

Cagalli took a moment to calm herself and phrase the next sentence as best she could. Shinn would freak out.

"I went to see Luna at…the Mental Institution. The doctor in charge of her care told me that while they were running tests they found out that she was pregnant. He hasn't told her father yet, and when I asked her she already knew because she had taken a test a couple of days ago. I think she's planning on keeping it." She told him, getting straight to the point.

There was a long silence on the other line. Cagalli patiently waited for Shinn's reaction, knowing it would take time for it to sink in and for Shinn to know what to do.

"_Um…thanks for telling me…I…did she say anything about me or…?" _he left the question for her to infer (bonus points for me on vocab!).

"She didn't say much else; we didn't get into it much. The doctor will have to tell her father sooner or later, so…be careful." She warned him.

"_Right, Mr. Self-Righteous will want to protect his daughter and do what he thinks is best for her, which will most likely end in me behind bars and either an abortion or adoption for the baby." _He said bitterly.

Cagalli felt pity for the couple, and anger at her inability to help. "I'll do what I can in that department. However…you two may have to talk about…the baby." She said.

"_I know. But…is she…okay? I mean, will she flip out if I show up asking what's cookin' in the oven?"_ Shinn asked worriedly.

Cagalli chuckled at his crack, but then returned to being serious. "I'm not sure. She was fine when I talked to her; the doctor is still checking her out. I told him about what happened to her so he could determine what exactly drove her to her recent state. They both said she freaked out on her father, she said it was because she felt overwhelmed with everything that had happened and her father screaming at her didn't help. Hopefully she'll return to normal soon, the doctor is keeping me in touch with her condition." She told him.

"_Okay, just tell me when she's ready and I'll come with you to speak with her about it. Man, how did this happen? I used a condom!" _he burst.

She blushed but tried to stay serious. "Well, sometimes they break I guess. Look, if you don't want the responsibility, we can take care of it ourselves, whether it's setting up an adoption or caring for it as a group. However it works out, we'd really appreciate less drama and a bit of cooperation from Kira. I don't think you should tell him until after you speak with Luna, but I don't want you to get into any more trouble either. Do what you think is best, but if he comes after any of us, it's on you."

"_I understand. I'm not likely to tell him anytime soon, he'd go nuts and probably try to castrate me himself." _She heard his voice crack a bit but then he continued. _"Besides, until I know everything that's going on and what we're gonna do, it would be best not to drop that bomb." _

"Agreed. I'll call you when she's stable enough to see you, and I'll ask her myself about seeing you, since we don't want to surprise her." She replied.

"_Right, okay then." _He said. He sounded still a bit shaken up about the news, but he was taking it very well compared to how she first reacted.

'_He's really changed a lot, all of us have. I hope things will get better, at least between the two of them. Maybe if they talk they'll be able to get things straightened out.' _She thought.

"Also, could you tell Kira to meet me at the beach later? We need to speak." She told him.

He sounded wary when he answered, _"Uh, sure, just as long as no one gets drowned or killed, okay?" _

"Tell him to come alone; I won't bring any of the girls. This is just between me and him." She continued, ignoring his comment.

"_Cagalli, I don't want anyone else to get hurt. If you two wanna go at it, fine, but you _both_ better come back. I know you guys need to talk and all, but maybe you should consider a truce, at least for a little while so we can all recover." _He said sternly.

Cagalli took a minute to compose her thoughts. She understood Shinn's point, but she really didn't care what he thought of the subject. She was still mad at her brother for putting them through all this. If he hadn't told Luna the lies and pushed her to hurting Shinn then the situation could be much happier. Shinn and Luna could raise their child together, happily, but instead things can be much worse for everyone now.

"I know, Shinn. I can't promise anything, but it's really none of your business at this point. I'm sure Kira will tell you the same. It's nothing personal." She said coldly.

He picked up on her mood but still pushed for a truce. _"If we could all just breathe for a few weeks then needless blood wouldn't have to be spilled! I haven't told Kira my idea yet because I'm still sore, but trust me, I'll bring it up with him before you guys meet." _He threatened.

She sighed, tired. "Fine Shinn, just tell him okay? I'll call you about Luna." She said with finality.

"_Yeah, okay. Bye."_

"Bye."

They hung up and Cagalli sped down the road, nearing the base. Now she had to tell the girls.

* * *

"Who was that?"

Shinn jumped and turned quickly to see Kira standing behind him, leaning against the doorframe to his room.

"Um, Cagalli. She wants to meet with you at the beach to talk." He replied.

"She called you to tell you to tell me she wanted to meet at the beach to talk?" Kira asked doubtfully.

Shinn nodded, attempting a reassuring smile.

Kira crossed his arms and waited with an expectant look.

"What? She needed to tell me something and asked if I could tell you while we were talking. Call her back." He said and tried to get past him.

Kira stood up straight and raised his eyebrows, not letting the boy through. Shinn glared at him half-heartedly. He didn't want to get in a fight with Kira right after he got back. He didn't want to deal with any of this.

Kira didn't back down, so Shinn gave up.

He sighed and leaned against the Godfather, surprising him. "Look, I'll tell you later, right now it's not that important, okay?" he gave him the Puppy Dog Eyes and put on the innocent and tired look convincingly.

Kira didn't push it and put an arm around him. Shinn smiled and closed his eyes, breathing in his scent.

"You _will_ tell me later." Kira told him in his authoritative voice.

"Yes sir." Shinn replied in a mocking tone, smiling up at him. Kira half-smirked and leaned in to kiss him forcefully, reminding him who was boss.

Shinn took a shuddered breath when they parted, being almost held up by Kira who continued smirking.

They went to the living room to eat dinner, Shinn more reserved than normal. He fidgeted with his sling, trying to take it off and keep it off, but Kira wouldn't let him.

Afterwards they hung out in Kira's room, Shinn's medication making him drowsy so that he fell asleep in Kira's arms again. He glanced at his phone and decided to call Cagalli tomorrow morning.

* * *

When Cagalli arrived at the base she had all the girls stop what they were doing and told them about her visit with Luna and the phone call to Shinn.

Meyrin gasped and covered her mouth with her hand, suppressing tears. "Are you absolutely sure it's Shinn's?" she asked hesitantly when Cagalli was finished.

Cagalli looked confused. "Of course, who else would it be?" she asked, wondering what the girl was thinking.

Mey stared into her eyes with a knowing look while the other girls wondered what she meant. Her eyes flickered to Lacus, who looked confused.

It clicked with Cagalli, who frowned, almost glaring at the girl. "No, it wasn't him."

"But look what he did to Shinn and Lacus!" Mey exclaimed.

Lacus looked even more confused and the girls began whispering to themselves.

"Shinn is one thing, but Kira didn't rape Lacus, she told me herself. Besides, why would he rape Luna? That's not like him at all." Cagalli replied harshly.

The girls gasped and the color drained from Lacus' face. Fllay put a hand on her shoulder and Stellar restrained Meyrin, giving her a knowing look. Shiho looked on with cold indifference.

"Almost drowning Luna wasn't like him at all either." Mey spat back.

"It's Shinn's, I'll confirm it with the doctor if I have to, but she told me herself it was Shinn's. If Kira had raped her she would have told me, end of story." She said angrily.

Meyrin glared at her but didn't say anything else. Cagalli tried to steady her breathing while the girls hushed.

"Look, I understand times are tough right now, but we have to keep our heads on straight, alright? Luna will most likely return soon, back to normal or as close as possible. I'll alert you guys to what's going on whenever the doctor tells me. I'm taking Shinn to see her so they can talk when she's ready, because it's between the two of them. If he isn't up to the task of taking care of the kid, we'll take over and decide what to do from there, understood?" she told them.

They nodded, Meyrin looking calm again.

"When Kira calls me back to confirm our meeting, I'll make sure he knows that he's not going to get away with what he did. But I want no one interfering, I asked him to come alone and I'm going to go alone. It's between the two of us. We'll be on neutral territory." She said.

They agreed to stay at the base and not interfere with the meeting, although Meyrin and Lacus looked displeased.

"Alright, I just wanted to inform you guys on those matters, now get back to work. Shiho, what have you gotten so far?" she asked.

The girls got up and all went to their respective duties while Shiho took Cagalli to the cameras and such as she explained.

"Not much really, they haven't discussed any plans that we overheard or picked up on. No movement so far, they haven't noticed the cameras or anything yet, but they suspect we're up to something and are trying to be cautious. Shinn's back and…well…had a very welcoming reunion." Shiho said, a disturbed look taking over her blank expression for a moment.

"What do you mean?" Cagalli asked, although not wanting to know why Shiho looked so disgusted.

"From what I can tell of that sweep you put on the roof, which gives us an idea of where they are within the base along with a sound pickup, Kira and Shinn were…together…earlier." Shiho told her (1).

Cagalli's eyes widened and they were quiet for a moment. "Well, Shinn told us they had a sexual past, and Lacus confirmed it. I just wasn't sure if they were still…wow, this puts things into a different perspective." She said.

"Do I want to know?" Shiho asked.

"Well, it just tells me that jealousy was definitely a key part in what happened to Luna. This makes things even more complicated. Better not tell Lacus."

"I'm not sure if she knows about earlier, but I won't mention it." Shiho told her.

"Good, anything else?" Cagalli asked, wanting to change the subject.

"They know about me, well, the fact that I'm here, but that's all they know. They've tried researching me, but I cover my tracks well." She replied.

"Great, let's keep it that way. Stay on them and try to get as much information as you can. I wish we could put more cameras and microphones for inside the base besides just the sweep."

"I'll see if we can manage an inside job, they're sticking pretty close to base though." Shiho replied and Cagalli nodded and went to Stellar and Meyrin.

"They've ordered a few weapons and supplies through Rau's website, which is under new management by way of Mwu La Flaga. No important calls besides a few to a different company specializing in war equipment, some calls to the hospital Shinn was in and another call to a no-name company of mysterious origins. There's not much to go on right now. I can't tell what they're planning." Stellar told Cagalli.

"Well, find out more about Mwu's position and the no-name company. Also try to see what all they bought." Cagalli told them.

"Some high-powered rifles, ammunition, another bazooka and grenades, stealth suits; here's a list. It's tricky getting this info, most companies don't exactly give out what each customer buys to total strangers. We'll work more on it. It looks like Athrun and Yzak are making most of the calls. Kira is being oddly quiet." Meyrin said, handing Cagalli a list of what they bought from Rau's.

"Thanks, good work. That's odd, somewhat normal, but still odd." Cagalli commented.

Meyrin gave her a look that she ignored and Stellar glanced at both girls, quiet.

"Keep working, track their every virtual movement." She ordered and left.

Meyrin sighed but continued working and Cagalli went into her office, sighing wearily at her desk.

She hoped that things would finally start to slow down and get better, but she had a bad feeling that things were going to get worse.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Okay, I made it somewhat longer but I have to stop here. Please review etc.**

**(1) I don't exactly know if something like this technically exists (although it probably does) and I can't tell you the exact name but here it goes: The device that Cagalli put on the roof of the Bloodlust gang's base sends a signal back to a machine set up basically as radar, you know, the green screen with the dots, beeping, and line that goes around in a circle? Yeah, it's like that except a little better quality. It maps out the base and shows a dot for each person and shows where they are and follows their movements (to an extent of course). It also picks up on sound waves, be it talking, radio, etc. So the girls can see where the guys are and hear them speaking no matter where they are, although the guys in the living room where the device is set up over is the clearest and loudest sound signals while sounds farther away from the device are fainter. **

**To clear up some confusion or to just help things out: The girls assumed that the whole KiraxShinn relationship was in the past and didn't know they were still "together" I guess you could say. With Luna being pregnant with Shinn's kid, Kira, Shinn, Lacus, and Luna's relationships with each other will get a bit fuzzy and strained. Also, this confirms Cagalli and Luna's ideas about Kira being jealous when he attacked Luna. Apparently Mwu took over Rau's weapon shop and has better connections with the Bloodlust Gang than the Pokitknives, so Cagalli is concerned about the Reapers again. I can't remember what else I wanted to clear up, so if you have any questions or comments feel free to ask away. Stay tuned for (hopefully) another update soon.**

**Next chappy will take us to Cagalli and Kira's conversation, Shinn seeing Luna, and a visit from the detective- at least that's my goal. If it doesn't happen you can throw me into a fireplace or something. Wow this is really long. Peace out!-**


	28. Chapter 28: Double Trouble

**Chapter 28: Double Trouble**

**Disclaimer:**** So I own nothing except plot and OCs of this particular fictional story about another fictional story.**

* * *

Murrue Ramius holstered her gun and stuck her badge in her coat pocket. She ignored a young and dangerously in love intern who wanted to "protect her" by coming along and got into her truck. The file folder in the passenger seat had the name "Asuka, Shinn" on the tab.

She arrived at the base and saw that most of the vehicles were still parked in the back, particularly Kira's black Nissan. She noticed Shinn's custom motorcycle as well, and smirked to himself.

They were making it way too easy.

She knocked on the front door of the base and waited, glancing around in case of trouble.

Yzak opened the door with his usual grumpy expression, which turned to suspicious when she flashed her badge. He let her in and knocked on Kira's office door.

"Hey, the Law is here, and she's askin' for ya." He told his boss.

Kira gave him a weird expression. "What exactly did you drink last night?"

Yzak sighed. "The detective from the hospital? She's here and wants to talk to you." He replied.

Kira furrowed his eyebrows and stood, covering the blade in his back pocket with his shirt.

"Check on Shinn." He said as he walked past him. Yzak scowled and trudged down the hall as Kira greeted Murrue.

Rey glanced at Murrue worriedly from the kitchen but said nothing as he watched the two. Athrun, Dearka, and Nicol were out running errands.

"I just wanted to check up on things, I also have some information for you." She told him.

"Alright, what is it?" he asked, not liking the situation.

"Well, since Shinn is a minor and only sixteen, the fact that he dropped out of High School has come up in the database. Unless you want me to transfer him to a foster family, I suggest you enroll him soon. He needs to finish both his junior and senior years and earn a diploma." She explained.

Kira's eyes widened. He forgot that when their parents died and left the gang inheritance to him and Cagalli, they had all dropped out or finished their senior year. Shinn was only a sophomore when he joined.

"Fine, anything else?" he asked.

"What have you decided to do about Luna? Does Shinn want to press charges?" she asked.

"I don't think so. What has her father decided? Is _he_ pressing charges?" he asked in a dark tone.

She narrowed her eyes. "So far, no, but he's determined to figure all this out."

"We already told you everything. If you weren't involved, we'd handle it on our own, which is actually less complicated and easier than your version of things." He told her bitterly.

She pressed her lips into a thin line. "Look, that's the risk you took by taking Shinn to the hospital, if you wanted to take care of everything yourself, then you should have bandaged him up here, although I doubt he would have made it unless one of you is a certified doctor. My job is to serve justice and help those in need, and Shinn is in need of some help. I'll leave the justice for you, if you're that determined to keep everything within the 'family'." She told him coldly.

He was shocked at her boldness and so didn't answer. They sat in silence, staring each other down. Kira's pride wouldn't let him admit she was right. Murrue's years of dealing with punks wouldn't let her back down; despite knowing that the man in the kitchen was holding a knife behind the counter, waiting for his Godfather's orders, as well as another man leaning against the wall, hiding in the hallway, waiting to attack.

"I'm glad you're on our side, but you must understand my position. Is that all?" he said.

She stood and he did as well. Rey shifted his footing, pretending not to listen. Yzak edged his foot closer to the opening into the living room, gun in hand.

"I suppose my welcome has been worn out. I just wanted to let you know about Shinn finishing high school. I'll keep in touch concerning the Chief of Police." She stated.

He nodded and she left, glancing around before leaving. Kira sighed and Rey sheathed his knife. Yzak came around the corner and holstered his gun.

"How's Shinn?" he asked the silver-haired man.

"Awake and bothersome, as always." Yzak replied.

"Keep an eye out. Mwu is supposed to come by, he probably knows Shinn is back." He told the two. They nodded and Kira went to his room and saw the boy pacing a path into his carpet.

"You can relax, she's gone." He told the boy as he came close.

Shinn looked confused as he stopped. "Who?" he asked.

Kira raised his eyebrows. "Murrue, the detective. Didn't Yzak tell you?"

"Oh, yeah." He said, but didn't look relieved.

Kira frowned. "What's up?" he asked, watching Shinn pace back and forth.

"Nothing." He replied absently.

Kira grabbed his arm to stop him from pacing and the boy looked so frightened he was yet again rendered speechless. He thought about the call he overheard between Shinn and Cagalli and narrowed his eyes.

"You wanna tell me what's really going on? If you're going behind my back Shinn I swear I'll-," he began but Shinn cut him off.

"No, no, no! It's not like that I promise." He exclaimed.

"Then what is it?" Kira almost growled. Shinn gulped and shrugged.

"N-nothing." He said with a sheepish smile. Kira glared at him and tightened his grip on his right arm.

Shinn winced in pain and grabbed Kira's wrist, giving him a pleading look.

"I'm getting tired of you not telling me things. What were you and Cagalli talking about?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Look, it's really not a good time, I swear I'll tell you everything but I have to do something first." Shinn told him, trying to get free.

Kira's grip tightened more and Shinn cried out in pain.

"Stop! Let go!"

Kira slammed him against the wall, still holding his arm.

"You're going to tell me now or I'll _permanently_ dislocate your arm." He threatened dangerously, seething with rage. Nicol was already planning against him, and the dissension among the men was growing increasingly. He was tired of dealing with Shinn's attitude, and if he was going against him, things would get bloody.

Shinn's teeth were clenched and he wouldn't answer, so Kira moved Shinn's arm painfully upwards.

"LUNA'S PREGNANT!" he screamed. Kira let go and stepped back, totally shocked into a state of wide-eyed, jaw-dropped staring.

Shinn covered his mouth with his hand as his eyes matched Kira's; except instead of steadily showing anger Shinn's eyes showed fear.

He bolted for the door; Kira tackled him to the floor.

"She's what!?" he roared, livid with jealous rage. He pinned Shinn down and put his knee between the boy's legs.

"I-I didn't mean for it to happen! I used a condom! C-Cagalli called me saying she visited Luna at the Mental Institution and the doctors told her she was pregnant! I…Kira…I'm sorry." He cried, trying to block Kira's leg with his own.

Kira tightened his grip again on Shinn's arm who tried to hold back another scream. He was so angry he wanted to rip the boy's arm out of its socket and beat him with it.

"Well, what are you going to do? Run back to her so she can stab you again!?" he yelled.

Shinn stopped struggling. He stared up at Kira sadly.

"I don't know, Kira. I…I just found out…I…" Shinn finally replied, trailing off.

Kira's gaze softened but he remained angry enough to not lesson his grip.

"Cagalli said that if I wasn't up to the responsibility that the girls would take care of…it." He added.

"What about her father?" Kira asked in a level tone.

"He doesn't know yet, but he will soon. Kira, please-," he cried out when Kira yanked on his arm and pushed his knee closer.

Shinn took deep breaths, panting and trying to keep his vision from blurring. He didn't know what he was going to do, but he knew that this situation wasn't about to get any better.

Kira was very jealous and wasn't afraid to show it. He'd grown very cold and uncaring throughout the years. There was no telling what he would do to the boy now.

Just then, Athrun burst in. He took in the scene: Kira straddling Shinn who was pinned to the floor, looking in pain, while Kira looked livid with rage.

"Kira, what's going on? Why are you hurting Shinn?" he asked, coming closer to the two.

"Back off Athrun, it's none of your business." Kira hissed.

Athrun narrowed his eyes. "Kira, this has got to stop, look, can't you see he's about to pass out! He just got out of the hospital!" he yelled.

Kira looked back to Shinn whose eyes were fogging up as he started to go limp. He let go and the boy gasped, clutching his arm while curling into a ball on the floor.

Kira closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing and then stood.

"Kira, I didn't mean to undermine your authority, but with that detective snooping around, it might be best to go easy on the kid." Athrun told him in a gentler tone, worried that his friend and Godfather would see his interruption as a threat and challenge to him.

"No, it's alright, I understand. I just get so angry!" he said and started pacing. Shinn pushed himself up off the floor and looked from Athrun to Kira with wary eyes. He was still clutching his arm.

Athrun glanced at Shinn and looked back at Kira. "What'd he do this time, if I may ask?"

Kira stopped and glared at Shinn, who scrambled away from him.

"He knocked Luna up."

* * *

"HE WHAT!?" Chief of Police Robert Hawke yelled, scaring the psychiatrist. Murrue, who was sitting beside him, simply raised her eyebrows, remaining calm.

"I'm sorry sir, we found out while we were running the tests. I spoke with her about it; she seems to be recovering quite nicely. She plans on keeping it." Dr. Maaz replied.(1)

"The hell she is! You get that thing out of her right now! That kid has already ruined her mind; I won't let him ruin the rest of her life!" Bob shouted.

"Mr. Hawke, I think you should speak with your daughter about this before you order an abortion. It's her body and her life that's being affected." Murrue finally spoke up.

Robert whirled to glare at her. "I'm her father, I can decide what's best for her, and having a baby at the age of seventeen is _not_ best for her!"

"With all due respect, you have no right to decide this for her because even though she is your daughter she hasn't been under your custody since she was sixteen, when she left your house to join a gang." Murrue told him coldly.

He continued to glare at her. "I'm the Chief of Police and I'm her father. Besides, she won't be going back to that gang, she'll be coming back home, and so will her sister. Now, Dr. Maaz, since she isn't in her right mind and clearly can't make a decision this important, it is up to her parent or legal guardian to decide, is it not?"

"Well, yes, but we have to do an examination to see whether she is capable of the decision." The man replied.

"Then do it." Mr. Hawke ordered and stood. Murrue sighed and followed, giving Dr. Maaz a knowing look as she left the office.

* * *

"So…she's pregnant? And you're positive it's Shinn's?" Athrun asked after Kira explained.

"Of course it's mine, who else would it be?" Shinn asked and stood.

Athrun raised his hands in surrender and turned to Kira.

"So what are you going to do?"

Kira looked to Shinn and they both remained quiet.

"Cagalli is going to take me to see Luna, so we can talk." The boy spoke up.

"What!? No she isn't!" Kira yelled and took a step toward Shinn. Athrun took a step in between them.

"Kira, this is something I have to do." Shinn told him, looking him straight in the eyes.

He scowled and started pacing again. "I'm coming with you then."

"No! You being there won't help anyone; it'll only make things worse, especially if she sees you! I'm going alone, with Cagalli. No one else." Shinn replied.

They faced off again and Athrun stayed between them, not wanting another fight to happen. _'What is it with these two? They're always fighting! No matter what the problem is they can never work it out without hitting each other!'_ he thought.

"You're not going alone, it's too dangerous. I know this is my fault, and I don't want anyone else to get hurt or for things to get any worse. Athrun's going with you to keep an eye on Cagalli and make sure they don't trap you. I'm not asking if it's okay, this is what's going to happen. I don't care what you think, you two are going together." Kira said and then left.

Athrun and Shinn glanced at each other.

* * *

"Dr. Maaz says she's stabilized enough to speak with Shinn. He also said that he told your father whose trying to schedule an abortion. I need to get Shinn in there before he takes over and makes Luna kill her child." Cagalli told Meyrin after hanging up with the psychiatrist.

"I don't understand why you want her to keep it. Wouldn't it be better if she just got rid of it before it ruins her life?" Mey asked.

"No! Look, what happened was terrible and tragic, but it was a mistake! A misunderstanding! We all realize that, and Kira's going to realize it when I talk with him later. Luna loves Shinn and Shinn loves Luna, she wants to keep the child, no matter what happens between them. Your father doesn't respect her wishes and is trying to force her to make a huge decision that _will _ruin her life!" Cagalli responded angrily.

"I don't know, it just seems like a lot of responsibility for her and I don't think she's ready. I don't agree with what father is doing, either, but keeping the baby will only remind her of Shinn and what happened, and I don't think that'll be good for her." The other girl said.

"That's why I'm taking Shinn to see her so they can talk things out and get things straight before we make any big decisions. We can't help the past, we can only move forward, and that's what I'm trying to do." Cagalli said as she dialed Shinn's number.

When he answered, he told her that Kira ordered Athrun to come with him. There was no way out of it. She in turn told him about the Chief of Police's reaction to the news. They agreed to meet at the hospital in order to straighten things out as quickly as possible, because Mr. Hawke was pressing to schedule an abortion even though Luna was in her right mind.

"I wanna go too; I haven't gotten to see her yet." Mey told her.

"I don't know if this is the best time. Maybe after they talk, but I don't want things to get strained."

"But Athrun is going with Shinn, what if they attack you or something? Didn't Shinn say it was Kira's orders? What if he ordered them to do other things to?" she asked.

"It's a risk I'm willing to take, besides, Shinn may agree to drag Athrun along, but he won't attack me there. I promise you can visit her later, but coming right now won't help. Dr. Maaz said that your father was planning on taking Luna and yourself back to your home, and if he sees you there he'll try to take you. Unless you plan on leaving, which you know I can't allow you to do right now, you'll be in danger if you go while he's in the vicinity." Cagalli told her.

"Well won't things be bad if he spots you and Shinn talking with Luna?" she asked.

"Yes, that's why it's better the less people come. I need to leave, promise me you'll stay here and look after the base, alright? I'll call you down later." Cagalli ordered.

"Yes, ma'am." Mey sighed.

Cagalli drove to the hospital and waited for Shinn and Athrun. They showed up a few minutes later in Athrun's car and went inside. Dr. Maaz saw them coming and signaled to them.

"Mr. Hawke left but will be back later, we've examined Luna and she seems to be okay. Try not to frighten her, don't remind her of what happened, and if things get too tense I may ask you to leave. She's on medication right now to keep her calm, so she may seem dizzy or slow." He explained.

He looked Shinn over and glanced at Athrun.

They walked down the corridor to the room and then Cagalli stopped.

"You should probably wait outside, Athrun."

He didn't object and stood by the door as Shinn and Cagalli went inside.

Purple and Crimson locked onto each other.

* * *

**-Author's Note: So….I didn't really get through it all, but there's no way I can't fit it in to the next chappy so look forward to that! Please review and tell me what you think!**

**Yes, I finally managed to name the doctor. It's pronounced mAHz, like when the doctor says to open your mouth and say "Ah", or when talking about the maw of an animal.-**


	29. Chapter 29: Let's Talk!

**Chapter 29: Let's Talk!**

**Disclaimer:**** So I only own the –plot- of this particular fiction, the characters all belong to the creators of Gundam Seed/DESTINY of whom I envy! The OCs of course belong to me because I made them up so HA!**

* * *

Purple and Crimson locked onto each other and there was a profound silence. Cagalli shifted noiselessly, feeling like an awkward intruder as Shinn had felt when Rau had come to investigate. Their faces were unreadable, so she couldn't tell what might happen next. She moved near the door, trying to give them space while making sure everything was under control.

Shinn stepped forward. He opened his mouth to speak but then closed it. He swallowed and glanced at her stomach. He took another step forward and looked over the leather straps containing Luna to the bed.

"I won't hurt you, they've got these on tight, and even if I could move, I wouldn't hurt you." She reassured him.

He nodded and pulled a chair near to her and sat. They were silent again as they stared into each other's eyes.

Cagalli edged toward the door, not wanting to witness the emotional reunion between the two despite wanting to protect them both. She quietly slipped out of the room and stood on the side opposite where Athrun stood.

As a psychiatrist walked by, glancing at them curiously, she felt like they appeared to be guards and almost laughed. She peered inside and saw that they still hadn't spoken.

"So I'm guessing she hasn't flipped out yet." Athrun said quietly.

"She told him she wouldn't hurt him, so I assume it's safe for now. Plus, I feel like I don't belong and they need their privacy." She replied.

"Yeah, I understand." He said.

They were quiet, although Athrun glanced at her often, thinking of the last night they were together and the kiss they had, if accidentally, shared. She could feel his eyes on her but wasn't ready to look at him yet. She was thinking of that night as well.

"So why exactly did Kira send you along?" she asked abruptly, unable to handle the silence any longer.

"Protection, I suppose. He refused to let Shinn go alone, he wanted to come but Shinn made it clear that was a bad decision, so he ordered me to go." He replied in a neutral tone.

She nodded, understanding. She fleetingly wondered whether she should have brought Meyrin along with her, but knew it would have been a bad idea regardless.

Athrun peered in and smiled softly; Cagalli glanced at him and also peered in.

"I'm really sorry, Shinn. I was angry and out of it." Luna said.

"I know, but I still have to wonder why you would believe his lies, I mean, you went searching for me, didn't you?" he asked timidly.

"Yes, because I wanted revenge, because I had lost my nerve, because I was knocked unconscious and left to drown by your Godfather. I didn't know what to believe and only thought of reacting to what happened to me. It was instinct." She explained.

He nodded. "That makes sense. But I just want you to know that nothing he said was true, he was just trying to make both of us jealous, he wanted our relationship to officially be over so he could have me all to himself. He didn't tell me his plan or else I would have prevented it. We…got in a fight…afterward. He threatened me…" Shinn trailed off, remembering what happened later on that night.

Luna flinched and looked regretful. She twitched her fingers, wanting to reach out and hold his hand, but the wrist restraints wouldn't let her. He seemed to know what she was implying and slowly reached out to take her hand. They stared into each other's eyes more, and tears began to well up in hers.

He leaned close but hesitated, hearing Kira's jealous words and seeing his angry face in his mind. He glanced at Athrun who winked and then turned, motioning for Cagalli to do so as well.

Shinn smiled and looked down at Luna who smiled back, and he kissed her.

* * *

Kira paced back and forth in his office, wanting to do something but not knowing what. He regretted not coming with Shinn anyway; he didn't want to let the boy out of his sight.

'_I should have gone after him when he ran off like that, and then all of this could have been prevented. I can't let him be alone anywhere, they might plan to finish him off or hurt him some more. I can't believe I let him go see that psycho! Hopefully Athrun'll stop them if they try anything, or maybe he's conspiring against me as well! I know he's on Shinn's side, he made that quite clear when he interrupted me, but he better not dare to interfere again.' _He thought angrily and worriedly as he paced.

There was a knock on the door and he answered it, only half-surprised to see Mwu there.

"Hey, heard Shinn was back." He said as he walked in.

"Yeah, but he's…not here right now." Kira told him.

Mwu raised an eyebrow in question. Kira sighed and sat down, motioning for Mwu to sit as well.

"He went with Cagalli to see Luna. I sent Athrun with him. Apparently Luna's pregnant and it belongs to Shinn." He explained.

Mwu looked shocked, but not as much as Kira expected. He narrowed his eyes as Mwu arranged his features into a neutral expression.

"Well, they're young, in love, it makes sense that something like this would happen. He was going to propose wasn't he?"

Kira flinched and then tensed, clenching his fists until they turned white. Mwu seemed to sense he had said something wrong but didn't try to correct his mistake.

"He bought a ring no doubt for her, I don't know when or if he was actually going to give it to her. He's too young for something like that." He replied coldly.

Mwu nodded and sighed. "Look, kid, I know this is hard for you; you're young too, and your hormones and emotions are all out of whack. Just promise me you won't make the other kid hate you by closing him off to the world. I think you deserve some love, and you have two options to choose from. Considering this new revelation, the choice should be simple.

"However, it's not always as easy as it should be. Just listen to your heart and try to do what's right. Whoever you think would make you most happy will be the one for you, no matter what the situation, alright?"

Kira took a moment to let this sentiment sink in and nodded slowly, not looking at his mentor.

"It's…not that easy Mwu." He finally said.

"I know, that's what I'm saying. Look at the facts but go with your heart, and I mean heart, not dick. Love and lust are two totally different things. If you only have lust, then a relationship won't work, no matter what kind it is. But if you have love, nothing is impossible."

Kira smirked bitterly. "How can you be so sure?" he asked.

Mwu grinned. "Because you're speaking to the man who makes the impossible, possible."

Kira smiled at the old quote. "Okay, I'll take your advice, but right now isn't the time for that kind of decision. There's still a lot to sift through and figure out."

"Of course, take your time, just not too much or it'll pass you by." Mwu told him and stood.

"Well, tell the kid to come in and see me some time, and if you need anything, feel free to ask. I'll give you a huge discount." Mwu said and winked.

"Will do. Thanks for stopping by." Kira replied and watched him leave.

* * *

"They look…happy. I mean, not completely happy, but still, happy. You wouldn't think that what they've been through was all real." Cagalli commented in awe.

"Yeah, but I guess that's a sign of true love. Relationships always have hardships, and if they can get through this, they'll make the long haul. Although…" he began but trailed off.

"What?" she asked, innocently curious.

"Nothing, it'll just…complicate things even more…with the whole separate gangs thing." He said quickly.

She knew he really meant it'll complicate things between Shinn and Kira, but he didn't know that she knew of their ongoing (and tense) relationship.

"True. It just proves how important my talk with Kira will be later on." She said, giving him a knowing look.

He seemed worried, but didn't express any concern. Neither of them wanted to go down that path.

* * *

"So, you're going to keep…it?" Shinn asked hesitantly after a while.

"Um, yes, but the doctors are saying father wants me to have an abortion." She answered.

"What!? He can't do that! It's _our_ child, not his!" Shinn exclaimed.

"I know, but he feels that since he's my father he gets to control my whole life. I won't let him make me though. He wants me to come back to live with him as well, me and Mey, but I won't go back." She told him.

"He better not force you to do anything you don't want to. I've had it with him, he has no right to force an abortion on you, father or not." Shinn said angrily.

She studied his face with a sad look. "Please don't get angry. I don't want to see you angry. Please, let's talk about the baby, anything to make you smile again." She pleaded.

He looked surprised and then guilty and pecked her on the cheek. "Okay, let's talk."

She smiled. "With everything that's happened, there's no way to predict the future, especially nine months away. But, when I have the baby, what do you think we should do?" she asked hesitantly.

He took a moment to think it over. A lot could happen in nine months, especially at the rate they were going. But he knew in his heart that he loved Luna and wanted to stay with her forever. He knew that the child she carried in her womb was his and that he would love it just as he loved her. No matter what anyone said or did, he would do all he could to be with them.

"Well, we can leave, buy our own place, marry, be normal." He suggested with a smile. She giggled.

"I don't think our Godfathers will let us do that." She said.

He shrugged. "I guess we'll find out." He said, still smiling.

"Well what about until then? There will still be fighting. You know Cagalli and Kira won't exactly kiss and make up just because we did. In fact, they might be even angrier since we're together and in separate, rival, gangs. I know Kira at least won't be happy, although Cagalli has been quite helpful as of late." She said.

"Yeah, I know Kira will want me to have nothing to do with you and the child. Maybe Cagalli's just being nice for now, but she probably won't let us be together either. I guess we'll have to talk with them about it. They're going to meet up later on to…talk about the recent events." He informed her.

"Oh? Well, that's…surprising. Do you think they'll end up fighting?" she asked.

"I hope not, but they probably will. I just want them to at least make amends with…what happened, so we can either start anew or without the threat of someone seriously killing someone else. It's never gotten this bad before, and I don't want things to get worse." He replied.

"Yes, me neither. But you know this won't be the end, but just the beginning of something that could be very bad or at the least extremely complicated. Everyone will still be angry, misunderstanding or not. What he did…what _I_ did, was inexcusable. I'm surprised you even forgive me." She said, looking forlorn.

"I'm…kinda surprised too, but I know deep down that you never really meant to hurt me. You were lashing out in rage, I'm sure if you had met Kira or even a stranger that you would have done the same thing. I just…I love you, Luna." He confessed.

She beamed. "I love you too, Shinn. I'll never forgive myself. I owe you." She said. He tried to protest but she gave him a look and he simply smiled and held her hand tightly.

They were quiet again until she took a deep breath.

"So…what's the damage?" she asked, her eyes straying downward.

He hesitated but then explained his injuries and the fact that he had to wear a sling (of which he wasn't wearing at the moment). She looked horrified and began crying as he got to the damage to his lower parts.

"Oh Shinn! I'm so sorry! I wasn't even thinking, no I was, I wanted to hurt you so bad…I'm so sorry Shinn, how can I ever forgive myself!?" she cried.

He crawled onto the bed beside her and held her, trying to comfort her. He ripped at the restraints but then heard the door open.

"Um, is everything alright?" Cagalli asked warily as she surveyed the scene.

"Yes, I just don't like her being restrained like this, it's not right." He said.

"Well, the doctors wanted to keep her restrained, especially for this meeting; they weren't sure what she might do." She said softly. She looked at Luna's tear-streaked face and felt pity for the girl.

"Cagalli, she's fine, she won't hurt me." Shinn told her.

Athrun stepped in with an uncomfortable expression, looking as if he didn't really want to say what he needed to say.

"Maybe we should leave, she's pretty distressed. You can talk later after she's released. The doctor told us not to upset her." He told Shinn sternly but softly.

Shinn gaped at them. "She's not insane! She's fine! Stop acting like she's some wild animal that needs to be locked up in a cage all the time!" he yelled, ripping again at the restraints as Luna continued to cry.

Suddenly, Dr. Maaz rushed in and quickly assessed the situation.

"You all need to leave. Why are you releasing her? She can't leave with you. Besides, Mr. Hawke is back and wishes to see her. Please, all of you, leave immediately." He said in a serious tone.

"But! I'm not…she's fine!" Shinn exclaimed, looking down at Luna to see that she wasn't alright, that she was still crying.

"Shinn, if Mr. Hawke catches us we'll be in greater trouble than before. I'll contact you as soon as she's released, but we have to leave now." Cagalli told him, taking a step towards him.

He got off but still held Luna's hand. "What if he tries to make her have an abortion? I can't let that happen. What if he tries to take her?" he asked.

"Shinn, there's nothing we can do." Athrun told him.

The boy looked back at Luna and let his hand slip out of hers. She screamed and he winced, taking a step back. She started thrashing about and Athrun grabbed his left arm and led him out of the room as Dr. Maaz tried to hold the girl down as other doctors came running in.

Shinn let himself be led back to the car. Cagalli looked at him pityingly, almost as if she wanted to hug him, but instead she walked to her car.

They drove back to the base, tears gleaming on Shinn's cheeks.

* * *

Kira sighed as he picked up his phone. He knew that if Shinn returned after speaking with Luna that he would flip. He didn't want to hurt the boy again. He knew that he and Cagalli needed to talk.

"_Hello?" _she answered.

"It's me, Kira. How about we meet at the beach in fifteen minutes?"

"_Um, sure, I'm close to there now."_ She replied.

"Are you guys…done talking with Luna?" he asked, grabbing his keys.

"_Yeah, she started…I don't know. I think Shinn might have said something to upset her. He didn't want to leave her; Athrun had to practically drag him out of the hospital. Plus Mr. Hawke was there." _She confessed, not meaning to tell him the full story but unable to stop herself.

She knew that she probably just got Shinn into trouble, but really there was no way of preventing that to happen anyway so she let it fade.

Kira sighed and rubbed his face. "I guess we'll talk more when we meet then." He said tiredly.

"_Yes, um, where exactly do you want to meet? At a restaurant?" _she asked. She wanted to be somewhere public so he couldn't do anything to her.

It made sense, but he still smirked.

"Sure, why not? We'll meet at Larry's Bar and Grill on the boardwalk." He replied.

"_Okay, see you there."_ She said and they hung up. He noted that she sounded rattled, and was dangerously curious as to what happened.

When he arrived he walked to Larry's and saw her sitting at a table inside, near a window but close to a group of people. He couldn't help his dangerous side from kicking in as he strode over to her and sat across from her.

They stared at each other for a moment, not exactly hostile but not remotely friendly.

After the waitress took their drink orders, Cagalli got down to business.

"Look, we both know that what you did was wrong and caused all this mess. I want to know why, and I want to know the truth." She told him darkly.

"Why should I tell you? It's between me and Shinn." He replied defensively.

"Because one of my girls got hurt and therefore it involves me as well. Don't play games with me Kira Yamato."

"I'm not Cagalli Ula Attha. Fine then, if you want the truth, here it is. I was angry and jealous because of Shinn and wanted to get back at him. I figured that ruining his relationship with Luna would do the trick, and plus would solve our little gang-love problem between them. I didn't expect Luna to come after Shinn. I didn't plan it, it just happened. I know I went too far, but they both had it coming to them."

She looked shocked, and a couple at a nearby table glanced at them cautiously. Kira gave them a threatening look and they quickly looked back down at their food.

"Just because you didn't mean for it to happen doesn't mean it's not your fault. What you told and did to Luna drove her to the edge and because of that she sought revenge and Shinn was the victim. Whether you wanted to punish him or not I doubt you expected his dick to be almost chopped in half. You need to take responsibility for this. You owe me." She told him dangerously.

He frowned angrily as he answered. "Shinn was the one that ran out of the base! I admit that I should have gone after him but I was trying to do the right thing and give him some space! How would I know that Luna was out running around with a knife, intent on castrating him!? I don't owe you anything, what _your_ girl did to Shinn was payment enough." He spat.

She shook her head. "Shinn is a victim. He received his punishment tenfold. You've yet to pay your dues." She told him levelly.

He scowled and sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest and looking dangerous. She didn't back down, stayed leaning forward in her chair, waiting for his answer.

The other couple quickly left, glancing at the two as if they were poisonous snakes poised to strike at any moment.

"Fine. I'll admit I got off scotch free, but I still think what she did to Shinn was punishment for me as well. You know how I feel about him." He leaned forward and smirked, looking sly, "You know what we do together." He said huskily.

She gave a disgusted snort and leaned away from him. "It still doesn't count since she was technically aiming for you but got Shinn instead. I want some of your territory and a Blood Tribute. And no more spyware." She said.

He gaped at her, and then grew angry. "No! Not a chance!" he exclaimed and stood. Another group looked at him warily and glanced at each other worriedly.

The waitress stopped a few tables away, holding their drinks and looking surprised.

Cagalli glanced around. "Kira, you're making a scene." She said quietly but with a smug look on her face.

He glared at her and slowly sat down. "I should have known not to meet you in a public place like this. No doubt you're planning on forcing me to accept just because you think I might be afraid to embarrass myself. Guess what, sister; I don't care what these civilians think of me. I'm the one with the gun." He told her just as quietly.

The waitress looked afraid as she set their drinks down. She was shaking. Kira glanced at her, giving her his dangerously sultry look. She looked terrified, like a deer caught in headlights.

Cagalli glared at him.

"Um, w-what would you like to eat?" the waitress stammered.

"Club sandwich." They both answered. They glanced at each other strangely and the girl hurried away before they could change their minds.

They stared at each other levelly for a moment.

"How much territory and what kind of Blood Tribute?" he asked.

She smirked. "I want Rockstar Bar and the same cut Shinn received. Don't forget no more spyware."

"No."

"Okay then, the beach."

"No."

"Mall."

He hesitated.

"Fine."

"And the tribute?"

He stared at her a moment longer, then looked away. A burly man brought their sandwiches and eyed Kira warningly.

"I suppose it's a small price to pay. I have scars in other places, I don't mind them." He said and smirked.

She again looked disgusted and gave him a warning glare.

"After we eat then. On the pier." She said.

He studied her for a moment.

"You want more."

"Nice observation."

"And we can't discuss it in here."

"Exactly."

He sighed and began eating.

After they were both done they paid and smiled at the waitress as they passed who looked horrified yet relieved that they were leaving.

They walked across the beach towards the pier. The sun was out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, unlike the other day which was rainy and overcast, gray and foreboding.

They checked to see that the beachgoers were far enough away to not catch what was about to happen, although a few glanced their way, but just glanced and then looked away.

"I'll tell the boys that the mall and its perimeter are off-limits, although we don't go there a lot anyway." He said, standing in front of her with his back to the ocean.

"Fine." She said as she took out her switchblade. He eyed it with an unreadable look. She stepped closer to him and he held his ground.

As she put the blade against his cheek, he saw a flashback of Shinn when he had delivered the exact same punishment to the boy.

The irony of it put a bitter look on his face. He noticed that she was smirking, but not as triumphantly as in the restaurant.

She slid the blade across his cheek, slashing it open. Deep enough to cause blood, as was the requirement for a Blood Tribute, but not enough to cause hemorrhaging. He would need stitches like Shinn.

He turned back to her, expecting to be told what else she wanted that she couldn't say at Larry's.

He didn't realize how close he was to the end of the pier.

Her face was solemn and grave.

He raised an eyebrow, waiting.

She took a step forward.

And pushed.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Wahaha I rule! Today was the last day of school so hopefully I'll be able to update a lot more and a lot sooner. I got in what I promised and more, and I even left myself somewhere to start! Yay me! Please review and tell me what you think. I know this chapter may seem a bit confusing so if you have any questions or comments please feel free to message me or write it in a review. Any suggestions or ideas are also welcome. WOOT CLASS OF '10 SENIORS RULE!!!!-**


	30. Chapter 30: Consequences

**Chapter 30: Consequences**

**Disclaimer:**** Woot 30 chapters and still goin' strong! So you know the drill, the OCs (if any) are mine, the characters are from the creators of Gundam Seed/DESTINY but the particular –plot- of this fic is MINE!!! Only I own the craziness that is: ****The Blood of Love****!**

* * *

_He turned back to her, expecting to be told what else she wanted that she couldn't say at Larry's._

_He didn't realize how close he was to the end of the pier._

_Her face was solemn and grave._

_He raised an eyebrow, waiting._

_She took a step forward._

_And pushed._

Kira gasped as he felt himself fall backwards and crash into the waves. He swam to the surface and coughed out the salt water and looked up to glare at Cagalli- but she wasn't there.

He glanced around but didn't see her anywhere. A few beachgoers were staring at him, and one was calling to a lifeguard.

He growled as he swam toward the beach, wincing at the pain of the salt burning in his cut. The whole left side of his face felt numb, yet it burned at the same time. He coughed again, vowing to get revenge for this.

He heard a woman scream and point towards him, and then other people started yelling as they looked in his direction, or at something behind him. He looked back and saw a dark fin glide across the water, heading straight towards him.

* * *

Athrun parked in his usual spot and noted that Kira's car was gone. Shinn glanced at him as they both got out of the car. He shrugged and they went inside the base.

"Hey, how'd it go?" Dearka asked when he saw Shinn.

The boy sighed and slumped down into one of the chairs in the living room. Athrun remained silent as he headed to the kitchen.

Yzak lowered his book slowly to glance at the youngest member of the Bloodlust Gang, and then shared a knowing look with Dearka. He got up and they were both standing beside Shinn.

"So I'm guessing it didn't go as well as you wanted. Did she freak out on you?" Yzak asked.

Shinn glanced at him with an unreadable look and shrugged.

"She started crying when I told her what the damage was, then everyone came running in saying I should leave and that I shouldn't have upset her. Her father was there and I didn't want to leave her because he wanted her to have an abortion and then drag her back to his place to live. She didn't want that, but now they all think she's crazy." He said and sighed again, putting his head in his hands while leaning over.

Dearka put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, maybe things will work out. It just takes time. You have nine months." He said reassuringly.

Yzak rolled his eyes. "That's not helping you idiot." He spat.

Dearka made a face and Yzak glared at him before turning to Shinn. "That jerk father is making a lot of trouble for us, making we should take him out. With what you did to Rau, I'm sure you'll be more than happy to kill the Chief of Police too. It would really spike your rep." he told him.

"Oh like that's any better! If he gets caught he's going to jail for life! Nice going Yzak, you're such a moron!" Dearka burst.

Yzak made to punch him and Dearka backed down. "I'm just trying to give some advice! You try cheering him up!" he yelled.

"What's going on out here?" Nicol asked as he came into the room.

"They're trying to make Shinn feel better. His talk with Luna didn't go too well. Where's Kira?" Athrun explained.

"I think he went to talk with Cagalli, he left about twenty minutes after you guys. Mwu came to talk with him." Nicol replied. "I feel so bad for Shinn. He's had a rough time."

"Yeah, and hopefully Kira won't take his anger out on Shinn when he gets home. I wonder what he and Cagalli talked about and what they decided to do." Athrun said.

"I guess we'll find out when he returns. He's been gone for about an hour now." Nicol told him.

"Maybe I should call him, but I don't want to interrupt anything." Athrun said.

Dearka and Yzak were still yelling at each other while Shinn was looking at them weirdly before getting up and going to his room. Rey came out and shook his head at the two boys in the living room before going over to Athrun and Nicol.

"Do I want to know?" he asked.

"Oh you know same old, same old." Nicol joked.

Athrun explained the situation and then they went to work.

* * *

Kira swam as quickly as he could, looking back to see the fin getting closer to him. People were yelling and running out of the water and a lifeguard was running towards the water, looking young and afraid.

Kira reached in his pocket to get his knife and then cursed because his phone was now drenched and broken because of the water.

Everyone was out on the beach besides him, who was still struggling. The lifeguard was paddling out towards him, unsure of what he would do once he got close enough.

Kira looked back and saw nothing but the waves. He hesitated and then yelped when he felt something sharp latch onto his leg and he was yanked downward. He started choking and thrashing but tried to get his leg out of the shark's grip.

He opened the switchblade and jabbed blindly at the shark's face and yanked his leg out of its mouth. He clawed toward the surface of the water and gasped, coughing and choking when he finally reached air.

People were screaming on the beach, unable to help for fear of endangering themselves as well. The lifeguard was shaking as he paddled hesitantly closer, not wanting to be attacked by the shark as well but yearning to help the stranger.

Kira knew he was bleeding even more and held his knife ready as he continued swimming for shore. He didn't think he had killed the shark, but he wasn't willing to die today.

He felt another sharp pain in his leg and was pulled under again. This time he opened his eyes and lunged at the huge animal, his blade sharp and ready.

He stabbed at the shark's face as it tore at his leg. He fought the urge to scream, holding his breath to keep from drowning. The shark's eyes were white instead of the normal black and thrashed about as it was being stabbed, unable to see its attacker.

Kira slashed at the shark's face as it searched for his leg again, he felt a hand on his shoulder and kicked the shark's face to get to the surface as he was pulled by the lifeguard.

He gasped for breath again as he breached the surface and the lifeguard hauled him onto his surfboard, looking around for the shark.

"Are you alright? Woah! Your leg is bleeding! And you have a cut on your face!" the young man exclaimed as he surveyed the damage.

"Yeah I know, where is it? Where's the shark?" Kira asked as he looked around as well.

"I dunno, let's get out of here." The other replied and started to paddle away.

Suddenly they were tipped over and underwater. The lifeguard was kicking towards the surface while the shark was closing in. Kira rushed towards it and stabbed its belly, ripping along its length. It thrashed about some more and snapped its teeth noiselessly.

The lifeguard reached out to him and they both reached the surface. Dark liquid replaced the blue and green of the ocean as the shark bled to death, mixing in with Kira's blood. They scrambled onto the surfboard and swam towards the shore as people were cheering and clapping at the victory.

However, Kira was not at all pleased at these events. While Cagalli probably didn't mean for him to be attacked and eaten by a shark, she left the possibility open, and for that she would pay.

* * *

Cagalli arrived back at the base with a neutral expression. She had the girls gather around and related the events of both meetings.

"You pushed him in? Ha! I would've loved to see the expression on his face!" Meyrin laughed.

"Cagalli, don't you think that's a bit much?" Lacus asked with a worried expression.

"Lacus, it's what he deserved. If he comes after me for it, that's exactly what I'll tell him. The same thing that could be happening to him could've happened to Luna. She was left to drown, remember?" she replied coldly.

"Aw, but now he has an ugly scar on his face, he was so handsome too." Fllay said while pouting.

"So did Shinn but he cut him on the face as well. Shinn said it was just a scratch but Stellar knows it was more than that." Stellar replied.

"True, but I'm still worried about Kira coming after us. I mean, giving up some of his territory _and_ a Blood Tribute is a lot for him to give up. He deserved it, but you know he didn't want to give up that much. And then you pushed him in. He won't be very happy." Milly said.

"I wasn't exactly jumping for joy when I was trying to haul Luna out of the ocean so she wouldn't drown. Besides, he's done a lot that he hasn't paid the price for, it all accumulated to what happened today." Cagalli snapped.

"Well, he still called you to tell you about Luna or else she would have drowned. Did you call Athrun or tell them what you were planning?" Lacus asked.

"I didn't tell Athrun or Shinn because they would have told Kira. I haven't called yet either, but you're right, I probably should." Cagalli replied and sighed as she reached for her phone.

* * *

Athrun looked out of the window again and resumed pacing.

"Jeez, Zala. Are you so worked up about your lover coming back?" Yzak teased.

Athrun glared at him. "Your Godfather could be in trouble, aren't _you_ worried?" he spat.

"Kira can take care of himself. He's probably just trying to find a good place to bury Cagalli's body." He responded.

"Kira wouldn't kill her." Athrun growled, although starting to doubt if Kira would really hold back against his own sister if he was angry enough.

"Oh right I forgot, you have a crush on her." Yzak teased again and had to jump out of his chair before Athrun's right hook could catch him.

"Yzak quit antagonizing him! All this fighting has got to stop! Don't you remember what Kira said!?" Dearka yelled as Athrun swung again.

Nicol got in between them and gave them both a knowing look.

"I'm sure Kira wouldn't want to return after whatever happened to all of us trying to kill each other. Calm down, both of you." He said coolly.

Athrun continued to glare while Yzak shrugged and they resumed their original positions.

Just then Athrun's cell phone rang, he took it out of his pocket, hoping it was Kira, but furrowed his eyebrows when he saw it was Cagalli. He answered it and gave the others a questioning look.

"_Have you heard from your boss yet?" _Cagalli asked in a dark tone.

"No, what happened? Did you guys meet?" he asked. All the guys were alert.

"_Yes, but I'm afraid I left him swimming with the fishes. I'm only returning the favor he gave to me." _She told him and then hung up.

Athrun looked at his phone as the guys surrounded him. Shinn came out of his room with a confused look on his face.

"What did she say?" asked Nicol.

"I think she left Kira to drown at the beach." He told them.

They glanced at each other and then Athrun bolted for the door. Yzak and Shinn followed. Dearka and Nicol scrambled for their phones while Rey headed to the surveillance room to see if he could pick up anything on the devices they had installed the other day near the Pokitknives base.

* * *

"I'm fine; I don't need to go to the hospital." Kira argued with the lifeguard.

"But your leg is all tore up! You're gonna bleed to death." He replied.

Kira used his wet shirt to tie around his leg, underneath the kneecap where the shark had bit him, to stop the bleeding. The lifeguard had a First Aid Kit but wanted to call an ambulance.

Kira grabbed some bandages and alcohol and began to clean his wounds while people gathered around him.

"People please, back up!" the lifeguard barked and some left while others backed off a few spaces.

"Kira!" he heard a familiar voice call.

He looked up to see Athrun standing on the boardwalk looking towards the ocean. He waved him over and then saw Yzak run towards the mass of people.

The other beachgoers dispersed as when they saw Athrun and Yzak.

"Kira! Oh my God what happened!?" he heard another voice exclaim and turned to see Shinn.

The boy looked at him with worry and hugged him. The lifeguard got up and let the friends gather around Kira, looking towards the beach for more signs of danger.

"Jeez what happened!?" Yzak also exclaimed as they began helping.

"Shark." Kira said and winced. Shinn put his arms around him and Kira leaned back, unable to stay conscious for much longer.

"Kira? Guys he's about to pass out." Shinn said.

"Let's get him in the car; we don't need anyone else in the hospital for the police to get even more involved." Athrun said and they picked him up and carried him to the parking lot.

They drove carefully, Kira in the backseat with his head in Shinn's lap with Yzak riding shotgun.

"He feels cold." Shinn said softly, stroking Kira's face.

Yzak and Athrun exchanged looks and Athrun drove a little faster towards the base.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Alright, how was that? Thanks a lot to AsuCaga01 and Yennefer for the loyal reviews! Please feel free to review if you have any comments, questions, ideas or even complaints. Peace out!-**


	31. Chapter 31: Waiting

**Chapter 31: Waiting**

**Disclaimer:**** If I owned Gundam Seed do you think Mwu or Nicol would have died? That's what I thought.**

_Sorry for the long wait, things have been pretty busy for me. But I have a moment to myself so I'll write._

* * *

They entered the base and ran to the Infirmary where they had stocked up medical supplies in case of such an emergency. Nicol and Athrun started gathering supplies while Shinn and Yzak ripped off Kira's jeans and took off his wet shirt. The Godfather was pale and shaking with cold. Dearka held Kira's leg and applied pressure to the wound as Nicol started cleansing it while Shinn helped Athrun clean the cut on his cheek.

"Is this all the damage?" Rey asked as he surveyed his Godfather's condition.

"Looks like it, this salt is going to cause problems if we don't clean it out soon though." Nicol replied. He wanted to be a doctor before he joined Bloodlust, so studied a lot of medical classes and even attended a few college medical courses; he was their resident doctor.

"I think the girls found all our spyware because I can't pick up anything, or else I might have been able to warn you guys." Rey told them with a worried look.

"Well I don't suggest trying to put more spyware on them, although it would help if we knew they would do something crazy like this." Athrun said as he continued working.

"I think it was just Cagalli, although her girls would be calling for blood. It seems strange how she left Kira in the same condition that he left Luna." Dearka remarked while Nicol tied a bandage around Kira's leg.

"Yeah except Luna didn't get attacked by a freaking' shark! Cagalli waited too long to tell us about him, it's not right." Yzak shouted angrily as he paced.

"Well going after her for it won't help matters. This was between her and Kira, whatever he decides to do from this will be his decision, but their talk was meant to resolve all these issues." Nicol replied. He looked disappointed but didn't let himself become too depressed at this turn of events.

"She wanted him to get eaten, that's probably why she cut his cheek- that's not from the shark. She wanted a shark to smell the blood when she pushed Kira in." Yzak told him as he pointed to the smooth laceration on Kira's cheek. His leg wound had serrations from the shark's jagged teeth and wasn't perfectly rounded or straight like the cheek wound was.

"She would have said something to us though, wouldn't she?" Shinn asked Athrun. There was doubt in his voice.

"I doubt it, but I don't think she wanted Kira dead. She just wanted him to feel the same as she felt when he left Luna at the dock." Athrun answered.

"The girl wouldn't cooperate and she needed to be taught a lesson, if Kira knew all this crap would happen he wouldn't have laid a hand on Luna." Yzak responded, still pacing.

"Look, arguing about the past isn't going to help guys, let's just focus on Kira." Dearka said before Athrun could reply.

"You know, this is really all Shinn's fault, if he hadn't seduced Kira in the first place none of this crap would have happened." Yzak grumbled and glared at the young boy.

"I didn't seduce Kira! Don't you dare blame this on me!" Shinn yelled, balling his fists and ready to fight.

"GUYS! SHUT UP AND CALM DOWN!" Athrun barked. The room suddenly became silent as everyone stopped and looked at their second-in-command.

Kira was still unconscious but the bleeding was stopped and the wounds were cleaned. Nicol grabbed a needle and a few bottles of medicine and inserted the needle in one of Kira's veins on his hand. He set up the IV and then added the medicine.

"We need to let him rest while the medicine takes effect. I'll need to get some more and we should reconsider taking him to the hospital." Nicol spoke up when he was done.

The men mumbled to themselves as they filed out of the Infirmary and into the living room. Shinn shot glares Yzak's way and the silver-haired man replied in kind. Dearka eyed them tiredly.

"All of you sit; we're going to work this out. As soon as Kira wakes up I'll figure out what happened and we can go from there. Nobody make a move until Kira explains the confrontation and gives orders, got it?" Athrun told them as he remained standing.

"I think Kira would want us to attack the Pokitknives after what Cagalli did to him." Yzak said, his arms crossed.

"And I think we should wait before doing anything drastic while he's knocked out." Athrun replied angrily.

"We can't exactly do anything until we know what they talked about. What if he promised we wouldn't attack them? What if they made some kind of deal? Before we do anything we need to know what happened at the beach." Dearka said.

"Besides, I doubt Kira would be happy if we did something without his consent." Shinn added.

"So what are we supposed to do? Just sit and wait for the girls to attack?" Rey asked suddenly. Athrun was about to reply as all attention was turned on Rey, but the blonde continued.

"We lost all the spy equipment we hooked up at their base, even sound, and they probably managed to hook up some spyware of their own. We don't know what Kira and Cagalli talked about and if we should expect an attack or not, because clearly Kira didn't expect to get pushed into the ocean at their little meeting, so what if Cagalli was staging an attack to end all this? If we attack now we have the element of surprise and might stop an attack from them."

"Or we might make things worse. Their meeting was to stop all this madness, if we just barge in out for blood we might ruin everything they worked for. This was probably her version of revenge for Luna, we don't want to mess anything up, and so we should just wait for Kira to wake up." Nicol replied firmly.

"What if he doesn't wake up?"

Shinn's voice was quiet and his face was white as everyone turned to him. They were all debating this as if Kira would wake up any minute to set them straight, but they didn't dare mention what might happen if Kira never woke up. He had lost a lot of blood, and the salt was like a poison to his wounds.

What if he never woke up?

* * *

Shiho motioned for Cagalli as the boys debated their next course of action. All the girls gathered around and listened to their bickering, giggling or making comments.

"Did you think this would happen?" Milly gasped.

"I just figured he'd swim back, I knew the possibility of a shark smelling the blood but that's not what I meant to happen. I guess I didn't think it through very well, or I just wanted this to be over with." Cagalli replied honestly and sighed.

"Cagalli, what happens if he does die?" Lacus asked softly. Everyone got quiet and looked from her to Cagalli.

The pink-haired princess looked pale and shaken, her baby blue eyes staring at Cagalli with sorrow. The blonde leader looked reluctant but cold, her amber eyes softening at Lacus' expression.

"I'm not sure, I assume Athrun will take over and we'll have to meet and talk things over. I swear this isn't what I wanted, but if this is what happens then there's nothing any of us can do about it." She answered.

Of course she never expected Kira to get eaten by a shark, but she couldn't take it back now. Kira had crossed the line, and if this was her turn, she wasn't going to back down now.

A few girls looked shocked at her cold-hearted statement, but she had to stay strong. If she showed any weakness, Kira (if he survived) would walk all over her. Lacus looked away, but Cagalli got the sense that she understood- but wasn't happy about it.

"Look, Cagalli did what she had to do. Luna needed revenge, Shinn was an accident, but Kira getting off scotch-free wasn't going to happen. Now he knows what Luna felt like, and if he takes the same course as she we'll have to take him out. If we did nothing they'd know we weren't serious and would attack us." Meyrin finally spoke up.

"She's right. Cagalli has been filling me in on the events as of late, there was nothing less she could have done to show Kira that we weren't playing around. He showed his true colors, now we're showing ours." Shiho said, nodding towards Cagalli.

The other girls glanced at each other and nodded as well. They all understand it was something that had to be done.

"Killing him doesn't exactly solve our problems though. Bloodlust will be enraged, and without a leader they'll attack, aren't you listening? They think this was the plan, they think we're going to attack them." Lacus said.

"Are we?" Stellar asked, looking to Cagalli.

"No." the answer was quick. "If he decides to retaliate that's his beef, but for now we're just going to restock and keep doing what we've been doing. He gave us the mall, so it's no longer neutral territory, it's ours. If one of the boys shows up there, we can attack, but we're not attacking for no reason." Cagalli told them, looking each of them in the eye, especially Meyrin.

"So what, we're just going to go shopping? Not that I'm against it, but shouldn't we monitor the situation? Yzak sounds like he might attack no matter what Athrun or even Kira says. Shouldn't we be ready?" Fllay asked.

"Yeah, what if some of them don't wait for their Godfather to wake up and just attack us here? What if some of them show up at the mall not knowing it's our territory now? Or what if they still attack even if Kira orders not to?" Milly asked.

"We'll take everything as we see it. To be safe I want you girls to keep to the buddy system and take weapons with you wherever you go. If you see some of the boys at the mall tell them it's our territory now, and if they refuse to leave I give you permission to engage in combat. If Kira orders them to stay put and Yzak or Rey or whoever else decides to attack anyway you can fight back, but don't make this about getting back at Kira, that's already been taken care of. Be on your guard but don't go after them, we'll see what happens now and make new plans later." Cagalli told them.

"Besides, we can monitor them and know what they plan to do before they execute it. If Kira orders an attack, or tells them to stand down but they decide to attack anyway, we can be prepared." Shiho added.

"But they pretty much know we could be spying on them. What if they find our cameras and sound sweep? Then we'd have no idea what we're planning." Fllay pointed out.

"I doubt they'll find the cameras, but if they disable the sweep we can still watch to see whether they come out of their base with heavy artillery." Cagalli replied.

"Stellar thinks waiting and seeing is a good plan. They are confused, we are not, we are winning." Stellar said.

"I guess I have to agree, either way we'll know what they're planning and be able to stop them or at least be prepared for an attack." Meyrin chipped in.

"Good, now we just wait and see." Cagalli replied.

"That still doesn't help us if he doesn't wake up. We should get an idea of what to do should that possibility occur." Lacus spoke up again.

"Like I said, I'll probably end up meeting with Athrun. If they plan an all-out attack we might be warned in time to fight back. I want someone guarding the base at all times to make sure they don't attack while we're out or try to plant anymore spyware, make a rotating schedule so one person isn't at the base all the time. If worst comes to worst we'll just have to tough it out." Cagalli told her.

There was silence and then the girls divided to do their regular duties. Lacus stayed put, watching the screen as the boys continued to talk things out.

* * *

"If he doesn't wake up then I'll have to have a talk with Cagalli." Athrun replied to Shinn's question.

"Why you?" Yzak asked.

A vein on Athrun's forehead throbbed as he sighed and rubbed his temples. "Because Kira made me second-in-command, that means if he dies or gets seriously injured that I take over. If you have a problem following my orders I suggest you leave now." He answered calmly.

"Well maybe we should take a vote. Just because Kira made you second-in-command doesn't mean you have the absolute right to make decisions if he's gone." Yzak replied.

"He chose me not because we're best friends but because he trusts me and knows I'll do the right thing and follow in his footsteps. I know what's best for this gang and I can run it if I have to. If you must insist on taking a vote for the new leader then we can decide _if_ Kira doesn't…survive. Until then just try to listen to me, okay Yzak?" Athrun said.

Yzak scowled. "Fine, just don't get too comfy."

Dearka rolled his eyes and lightly punched Yzak in the arm. The other man glared but didn't punch him back.

"I don't like not knowing what's about to happen. Shouldn't we at least do a scouting mission?" Rey asked.

"Yeah, how long do you think Kira will stay out?" Dearka asked Nicol.

"Since he lost a lot of blood, it may take him a day of rest. The medicine will ease the pain but will make him more tired, and when he does wake up he won't be very sharp for a few minutes. If the wounds heal up nice enough it may only take a day, but if they get infected or don't heal fast enough it may take longer. I'll have to watch him. Are you sure we can't just take him to the hospital? I need to get more medicine from there anyway." Nicol answered.

"A day isn't too bad, but that's longer than I'm comfortable with not knowing what the girls are planning. Shinn go scout their base and see what they're up to, but if you get caught don't expect us to come rescue you. If we take Kira to the hospital Detective Ramius will just go snooping around again and try to figure this out and it will make matters worse with Chief Hawke. Just get the medicine and any supplies you need the old fashioned way." Athrun said.

"Why Shinn?" Yzak asked. The group gave out an exasperated sigh.

"Why do you have to question everything?" Dearka asked.

"Why does the runt get to scout when it was Rey's idea?" Yzak fired back.

"Will you quit calling me that!? I'm sick and tired of you disrespecting me and treating me like a kid!" Shinn yelled.

"You are a kid! A whiny little brat kid!" Yzak roared.

"Guys come on we can't keep arguing like this!" Nicol cried.

"Look it doesn't matter who goes just as long as someone does." Rey tried to shout over the commotion.

"Alright that's it! Yzak and Rey go scout NOW!" Athrun barked. He didn't often get frustrated and he didn't often shout, so the boys realized that Athrun was no-longer playing the fellow gang member and friend role, but that of a leader. Yzak and Rey went to gather some gear as Shinn fumed.

"Nicol and Shinn, keep an eye on Kira, if anything happens let me know. Dearka, come with me. If anyone wants to argue further they can expect a bloodied nose, got it?" Athrun continued loudly.

"Yes sir." They replied. Shinn shot him a look as he followed Nicol into the Infirmary while Dearka walked up to him with a somber expression. Athrun sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Yzak's just being…Yzak. He's angry and doesn't know how to control his temper. He hardly listens to Kira when he's in a good mood." Dearka tried to explain to Athrun.

"Yes and I always wonder why Kira keeps him on. I realize he's angry but we're all on edge here so he needs to suck it up."

"Well, he's good at what he does."

"But he needs to understand who the boss is. And I thought him and Shinn were friends?" Athrun asked as they walked out of the base.

"Eh, they had a nice moment when Shinn got back, but only because he missed fighting with him. You know he always wanted to be the leader. By the way, where are we going?" Dearka asked as they got in Athrun's car.

"To Mwu's, he might have some good advice. Yzak just wants to run things because he has a big ego and can't accept that someone might be better than him. Maybe I should let him run things until kira wakes up and see how badly he screws up. Maybe then he'll realize why Kira is the leader and I'm the second." Athrun grumbled.

"Yes but Kira won't be happy if you let Yzak ruin things while he's knocked out. You said he picked you as second for a reason, because you would be good at it."

"True." Athrun replied and remained quiet. Dearka didn't try to continue the conversation, dwelling on the last sentence he said and the earlier conversation.

"I hope he does make it through. He's a good leader, and a good friend." He said after a while.

"Yeah, he is." Athrun replied.

* * *

"It looks like they won't try anything for now, but make sure they don't stumble upon anything when they come scout." Cagalli said.

"Should we try to capture them?" Lacus asked.

"I would if this was a normal situation, but it's not. We'll let them get the information that we won't attack them, but that's it. I don't want them snooping around for too long or trying to install anything, because we need to keep the upper hand, so tell the girls to keep a look out." Cagalli answered.

"Alright. Look, they're leaving. I'll let the girls know." Lacus said and got up.

"Hey Lacus? I know you and Kira…well; just know this wasn't meant to happen. I know how you feel about him, even though what he feels for you may be questionable. I'm…sorry." Cagalli said.

Lacus turned to look at her and smiled a little. "It's okay Cagalli, I understand." She said and turned back around. "But he _is_ your brother." She added as she walked out of the room.

Cagalli watched her with a shocked look, and then shook her head. "I should have known that was coming."

* * *

"Hey Mwu, we need to talk." Athrun said when head and Dearka entered the newly owned Gun shop.

"Okay, I heard there was another commotion down at the beach. You kids starting trouble again?" Mwu asked with a cockeyed grin.

At Athrun's serious look his grin faded and turned into a worried frown. He nodded to a young man who took over at the counter and lead Athrun and Dearka into his office near the back of the store.

"What happened this time?" Mwu asked when they sat down.

"Kira and Cagalli met to settle some differences, over the Luna and Shinn thing, and Kira ended up almost eaten by a shark. By the time we got there he was just pulled out of the ocean by a scared lifeguard with his leg tore up. We didn't want to risk taking him to the hospital so Nicol patched him up at the base, but we don't know what'll happen next. We think the girls have spy equipment set up but aren't sure whether this was a move for an attack or what." Athrun explained quickly.

"We sent Yzak and Rey to scout the girls but who knows what good that'll do. Nicol says it may take a day for Kira to wake up if his wounds heal up well enough." Dearka added.

"Well…that's…I would say surprising but I figured Cagalli might step up and do something bold like this. Do you believe she meant for the whole shark thing to happen?" Mwu asked after a moment.

"She was civil enough to Shinn and me when we saw Luna that I doubt it was her intention, but he had a cut on his cheek that wasn't shark-related." Athrun told him.

"So you're just lying low for now?" Mwu asked again.

"Pretty much. We don't know what Cagalli's next move will be, and we don't know what all went down at the beach, only the aftermath. If they made some deal or something I don't want to ruin it. Then again, if Cagalli decided to go all renegade we should be prepared." Athrun said.

"I agree. If Rey and Yzak make it back with anything useful it'll at least give you a starting point. Does Nicol need any medical supplies?"

"Yes, he wants us to put him in the hospital but Detective Ramius would just stick her nose in everything again. Plus the Chief of Police could have Kira arrested the second he's released from the hospital. I can't let that happen." Athrun answered.

"Again I agree. I'll get Detective Ramius out of your hair and some medical supplies ready. Also, I might have a job for you." Mwu replied.

Dearka and Athrun exchanged glances. The Reapers were the head honchos and provided the gangs around ORB with funds and gear by running their own businesses. Since Mwu took over Rau's shop he was able to directly fund Bloodlust, while Andy was able to directly fund Pokitknives. The four (now three) mobsters also offered the gangs jobs for more expensive gear or extra funds. Gilbert Durandal worked as a lawyer and small-crimes judge to keep an eye out for both of the gangs, he was the one that granted Shinn permission to live with Kira, and they were working on making Kira Shinn's legal guardian. While there haven't been too many battles, Bloodlust was running low on supplies and money, so the fact that Mwu had a job for them was good news.

"Okay thanks, what kind of job?" Athrun asked.

"I don't want to get into too many details right now, especially with the circumstances. It'll pay a lot though. Just let me know about Kira's condition either later today or tomorrow, if he doesn't make it I'll assume that you, Athrun, will be the new leader and give you more information then, but if Kira survives I'll stop by to give him the details." Mwu replied.

"That sounds good. We'll let you know, and thanks for helping us out." Dearka said.

"It's the least I can do. I'm pretty busy with taking over Rau's stuff, but if there's anything more I can do for you just let me know okay?" Mwu told them.

"Definitely." Athrun replied and they stood to shake hands.

They left the shop with the hope that things would start to get better, since Mwu was helping them out so much. They drove to the base mulling over what the job could be, and whether Kira would be awake or still unconscious when they got back.

When they arrived Nicol told them that Kira wasn't awake but that his vitals looked okay. Athrun in turn told him that Mwu would set up the medical supplies and that he would try to get Detective Ramius out of the way.

"Maybe we should speak with Durandal as well; he may have some sway over Chief Hawke." Dearka suggested.

"Mwu may go to him anyway for Detective Ramius, but we can contact Gilbert as well just in case. Although Ramius might pick up on our scheme since she knows who we are." Athrun replied.

"She said she wanted to help me and was only trying to serve justice, so I don't think she'll warn Luna's dad if we try to get him off our trail." Shinn said.

"We'll have to see, there's not much she can legally do; Kira and Cagalli just took care of it." Athrun responded.

"What will happen if she finds out anyway?"" Nicol asked.

"Who knows? Cops are hard to figure out; you never know what their real intentions are in cases like this." Dearka said.

"Well we know the Chief of Police wants us all in jail. What if he arrests us for being in a gang? What if he tries to arrest me or Kira for what happened to Luna?" Shinn asked.

"We need to talk with Gilbert to find out if he can do anything; the detective told us she wouldn't hold anything like that against us. It's like murder cases, if you do drugs and they find out while they're questioning you, they won't arrest you for it. Although I think she knows gang warfare has everything to do with this, so I'm not sure how she plans on 'helping'." Athrun answered.

"Well, whether Kira makes it or not at least we have somewhere to go. If we can get the cops out of this, or at least off our backs for a while, things should go smoother." Dearka said.

"Right, at least we have somewhat of a plan. Nicol, stay on Kira and make sure to get those meds, when Yzak and Rey return we should know what to do from here on out." Athrun ordered.

"Right." Nicol said and went back to the Infirmary. Athrun went into Kira's office to get a number for Durandal while Shinn and Dearka checked on Kira again with Nicol.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Okay that's good for now. I tried to make it longer than usual since it's been so long since I last updated, and there's plenty of juicy info, so please review and tell me what you think. If you have any ideas or questions just let me know, I think I gave a better description of The Reapers and how the gangs work; I might get a bit more detailed in later chapters. Oh and yes, MurruexMwu action is soon to come! And maybe some ShihoxYzak? I'll try to update faster so please stay tuned for more! Peace out!-**


	32. Chapter 32: Bulletproof

**Chapter 32: Bulletproof**

**Disclaimer:**** I possess nothing in regards to Gundam Seed/Destiny. The song which the chapter title derives from is not mine either (I don't even have it on my iPod yet). Not sure why I'm talking so…intelligently…ON TO THE LONG-AWAITED CHAPPY!**

* * *

Yzak parked two blocks away from the Pokitknives' base. He nodded to Rey after scanning the area and they both got out of the car. They headed towards the back entrance on the other side of the main road, guns at the ready.

"I should be leading an assault team right now, not doing recon." Yzak grumbled.

"You know if you keep complaining they're going to raise a fuss. If Kira doesn't make it you can do a coup d'état then, but we need to focus right now or those girls will walk all over us." Rey told him.

"I should have taken over this gang a long time ago. Kira doesn't have the balls for this stuff, that's why we're losing. I would've kicked Shinn out, because he's done nothing but cause trouble. The only impressive thing he's done besides not getting punched out by Kira is killing your father." Yzak replied angrily.

"You forgot he managed to tie Kira around his finger and knock up one of the enemies. I don't know if he plans all this shit out or is just unlucky." Rey added.

"He's unlucky for _us_. The only reason we have the cops on our tail is because he was messing around with Luna and getting Kira jealous. You know that's why Rau came over, because he knew they were involved. He took him out because he didn't want anyone ruining his little game, next thing you know he'll take out the Chief of Police." Yzak said.

"Either that, or he'll kill Kira when he ever wakes up."

"_If_ he ever wakes up."

* * *

"I'm not sure if they're here or not. We have surveillance for the front and side of the building, but not the back." Shiho told Cagalli.

"I want you all to patrol the area. Two in each group. Start from the back and work your way up. Remember; don't attack them unless they instigate it. Tell them Kira was revenge for Luna. That's it." Cagalli ordered.

Milly and Meyrin went out to the back of the building, Stellar and Lacus went to the side, Fllay and Shiho took the front. Cagalli remained behind in the monitoring room, searching for the two men assigned to scout.

Meyrin had her gun out while Milly had her hand near the case for hers as they peered around the corner. It was empty except for a dumpster. The alley itself was narrow, too small for a car. No one ever used it because oftentimes the buildings ended at the wall, but the Pokitknives' base ended just a few feet away from it.

Meyrin glanced at Lacus who nodded. No one there yet. She turned to Milly who signaled she was ready. They quietly edged around the corner, searching for any sudden movements, listening for a whisper in the wind.

Yzak and Rey stood against the wall on the other side of the building, wary for any patrols. Yzak heard the slightest footstep and smirked. He took out his knife and angled it so he could see the other corner, and saw red pigtails. He glanced at Rey who nodded and held up his weapon against his chest.

Meyrin quickly turned around the corner and pointed her gun…

…right at Yzak.

* * *

Mwu la Flaga waltzed down the hall, whistling and grinning. He had his hands in the pockets of his jacket, holding a case that concealed a knife. The latest in weapons technology provided a handy case for a range of small knives to big guns that hid them from a metal detector. They were pricey and not yet available in all retail stores, but Rau's Place had already ordered a shipment and it had just arrived.

He checked the nameplates on the doors as he passed them until he got to the right one, his grin widening.

"Well hello there." He greeted the woman at the desk.

Murrue Ramius looked up and scowled. "You again. Didn't that last warning get through your thick skull?" she asked.

He mocked a shocked expression. "Who me? I don't remember any warnings. Are you talking about the time you said you'd arrest me if I kept hitting on you? Was that a warning? I'm sorry; I just thought you were kidding. It's hard to believe pretty women like yourself carry around a weapon. That's pretty dangerous stuff you're meddling in."

Her scowl deepened. "What do you want? To harass me some more?"

"What? No! I just wanted to talk." He replied and smiled, quickly glancing at the file underneath her hands, the one that read Asuka, Shinn.

"About what? You know I'm very busy."

"Oh are you? What are you working on that makes you so busy you can't chat with an old friend?"

"You are _not_ an old friend. I'm sorry if I ever gave you the impression that I was nice to idiots who constantly flirt with me."

"Ouch! That one stung a little, but seriously," he stated as he turned a chair around and sat in it, resting his arms on the top. "What's up?"

She sighed and rubbed her temples, he glanced further at the papers while she wasn't looking.

"Quit trying to look at my boobs!" she shouted.

He almost fell backwards with an actual shocked expression. "I-I wasn't!" he exclaimed, for once being honest.

"I really don't have time for this, if you actually have something important, we can talk, if not, leave me alone." She told him.

He put on a serious look and nodded. "I actually do have something important to talk about, and it has to do with that case file." He said and gestured to the file under her hands.

She glanced down at the papers and then looked back up, her eyebrows furrowed in suspicion. "What about it?"

"I would like to know your intentions with that case. Got any leads? Any ideas?" he asked.

"You know I can't give that information out."

"Aw c'mon, not even to a friend?" he pleaded mockingly.

"Mwu."

"Alright, so I didn't think it was that easy, but honestly, what are you doing investigating something like that?"

"None of your business."

"Hey now, I know I'm not the most charming guy, but cut me some slack! I'm sincerely concerned for the kid's welfare, and I just want to know whether you are or not."

She narrowed her eyes more. "How did you even know I was investigating this case?"

He shrugged. "I talked to him. Heard about the accident. Just wondering if there was anything I could do to clear anyone's name or help you out."

She pursed her lips, trying to figure out whether he was lying, or how much. "I doubt there's anything you can do or say to help." She finally said.

"It was just a misunderstanding. The girl was still affected by the medicine she was given for her own accident. As for Shinn, he can take care of himself, and plans to take care of his child as well." He told her, a hard look in his eyes.

Her eyes widened. They stared at each other for a moment as she tried to think of what to say. "How do you know all this?"

"I told you, me and the kid talked."

"I know you're involved with that gang, if you're trying to dissuade me from this case I'll be forced to bring up charges." She warned.

He held up his hands in surrender. "Hey now, I don't know anything about gangs. All I know is that these two people are involved in some sort of love triangle. Matters of the heart aren't to be worked out in a courtroom, it's too personal. Unless he wants to press charges, which as far as I know he doesn't, there's nothing for the Justice System to do. It was an accident, a mistake."

"A mistake that almost cost a boy his life, and certainly his manhood. Now that girl is in a Mental Institution with a life growing inside of her that may or may not be taken away. I'm just trying to help."

"Your case is cold. A dead end. You can't help either of them. Except…" Mwu paused, waiting.

Murrue raised an eyebrow. "Except what?"

"Well, you could tell Police Chief Hawke to mind his own business." He replied, reverting back to comical ways.

She rolled her eyes. "I knew there was a catch to this. If Kira wants me off his back, he can talk to me himself. I don't need jerks like you wasting my time." She spat.

"Woah now! Hold up there missy, I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything. Look, I know that if Hawke gets involved it'll only mess up the good you're trying to do. That's all I'm saying."

"That's _Mr._ Hawke to you. Besides, it's his daughter, he has a right to be involved." She countered.

"Not if she ran away and joined a street gang." He replied quickly.

"Oh so now you know about a gang?"

"What gang?"

"Ugh! Why must you annoy me?" she gave out an exasperated sigh, throwing her hands in the air.

Mwu peered closer and hid a grin.

"Oh I'm not that bad. Anyway, I just wanted to chat about the poor kid. He's had a rough time of it lately. Even if you may not like me, I hope you take my advice to heart." He said and got up, leaving before she could reply.

"What was that about?" she asked herself and shook her head. She looked down to continue what she was doing before she was interrupted and glared.

"MWU!"

* * *

Yzak smirked as he aimed the gun at Meyrin's heart, his finger getting closer to the trigger. The girl glared back at him, and suddenly Milly came around the corner, pointing her gun at him as well while Rey did the same. Milly growled and pointed the gun at Rey instead.

"Looks like a stalemate." Meyrin said flatly.

"I'm faster." Yzak replied.

"You wanna bet?" Meyrin asked in a low tone.

"Hey, we have orders." Milly reminded her.

Meyrin scowled. "Kira was revenge for Luna. That's all you need to know if you came looking for a fight. We're not authorized to engage in battle with you right now. Leave." She bit out.

Yzak raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Your fearless leader doesn't want to take advantage of the situation? Tch, it figures, she doesn't have the balls either." He grumbled.

Rey remained silent, staring Milly down.

"My fearless leader got what she wanted and is now on to bigger and better things. We don't need balls to take care of business. That's just an excuse _boys_ use when they're too scared to admit it." Meyrin smirked.

He glared at her. "I'm sure you like to think that. How did you know we'd come looking for a fight?"

"We're not stupid, unlike you Bloodlusts. Cagalli took out your leader, now you're itching to fight back."

"He's not dead yet." Yzak growled. _'Unfortunately…'_ he thought to himself.

"Well excuse me. You heard what we had to say, now get off our property." She demanded.

"We're not going anywhere until we speak with Cagalli." Yzak replied.

"Yzak, that wasn't our orders." Rey said in a flat voice.

"Screw our orders; I'm getting to the bottom of this myself. No waiting around while these little devils get to scheme against us. They knew we were coming, they knew our plan."

Milly and Meyrin both turned serious, ready to attack.

Cagalli heard the whole conversation, because each group had a mic hooked onto their clothing. "Lacus, Shiho, come around the back on either side. Meyrin, hold them off. If we play to their whims, things could turn badly." She said into her own microphone.

Lacus motioned to Stellar and they walked to the back, stopping at the corner where Meyrin and Milly were. Fllay and Shiho headed around the other side, hiding behind the corner where Yzak and Rey were. The boys didn't notice either advancement.

"I'm sorry, we can't do that. This is your last warning. Leave now." Meyrin told them.

Rey inched backward and caught sight of Fllay and Shiho. "We're trapped." He told Yzak.

He looked to the side and saw the two girls pointing their guns at him. "They have reinforcements. We should just leave before this turns bloody." Rey said again.

"What's the matter, chicken?"

"I don't think you understand the situation very clearly. We have you surrounded, unless you're foolish enough to think you can take us, I suggest you heed our warnings and leave. Your friend is right." Shiho spoke up.

Yzak glanced at her curiously. "A new girl huh? It doesn't matter; it'll take two of you to take one of us down, at least. Besides, how do you know we didn't bring backup?"

"Because Rey already gave you away. Now there's seven of us and only two of you, do you still favor those odds Yzak?" Cagalli asked from behind him.

He swung around and aimed at her. Rey glanced around at the members of the enemy gang, his reflexes preparing for a quick fight.

Yzak glared at her. "You didn't do a good enough job with Kira, he might just make it." He spat.

"You shouldn't show that much disdain for your leader. Dissension only gives us the upper hand." She countered.

"Once the chaos is over and I'm the new leader there will be nothing left of you sluts."

"I'm glad you think so highly of us. Do you think of all girls that way, or is Dearka your only love after all?"

"Bitch! You think I'd sleep with any of you conniving women? Not if someone paid _me_! You'd all just try to castrate me like you tried with Shinn. I prefer a woman who'll shut up and do what she is told." He shouted.

"Should I shoot?" Shiho asked, glaring.

"Not yet, this is normal for him." Cagalli replied.

Before Yzak could react she continued. "Look, you came here looking for answers and you got them. I say you report back to whoever's in charge and stay there. If you try me one more time I'll have no choice but to order an attack."

He growled but said nothing, fuming.

"Yzak, while they're giving us a chance, I'd rather leave now. Contrary to popular belief, I prefer a fair fight, and while we could easily deal with them in their current numbers, I'm sure the others would be mad they weren't included." Rey told his comrade.

Yzak smirked. "You're lucky he's the one with the level head. Until next time, whores." He spat and sidestepped away. Rey followed, never taking his eyes off the girls as Yzak sauntered down the alley, his back to the enemy.

Cagalli narrowed her eyes. "Men and their egos, I swear."

* * *

Shinn paced the infirmary, constantly glancing at the machine hooked up to Kira indicating his vitals.

"You'll ware a path in the floor if you keep doing that." Nicol said as he put away the last of the supplies.

"There's nothing else to do. I'm sure shaking him won't be any good." Shinn replied sourly.

"The guys are taking long. I hope they didn't run into any trouble." Dearka said absentmindedly.

Shinn stopped pacing and glanced at him. "What do you mean? They're scouting the area, it should be thorough. That kind of thing takes a while."

Dearka looked at him pointedly. "We know they're spying on us somehow. They have to know what we're planning. They most likely confronted Yzak and Rey. I just hope we didn't make a mistake by sending them."

"That's true, I didn't think of that. I guess we'll see when…or if they return." Shinn replied.

"Well, at least we should be getting more medical supplies." Nicol responded sheepishly.

The two other men looked to him and he gulped. "I mean, just in case something bad happens to them, or if Cagalli intends to attack. We'll be prepared."

Shinn sighed and glanced at Kira. Nicol had noted that his wounds were healing faster than normal, even for a coordinator, but not to get anyone's hopes up.

Dearka's cell phone rang and he reached in his pocket for it. "Hey, it's Yzak." He told them and then answered. "What's going on?" he asked.

"They knew we were coming, we didn't have time to find out about the spyware, they kept saying that Kira was revenge for Luna. They had patrols out looking for us, damn it!" Yzak yelled.

"Well we figured they'd know! That's all they said?" Dearka asked. Shinn got closer while Nicol went to get Athrun.

"I tried to weasel more out of them, but unless they're getting paid to suck your cock they don't give out anything. I even tried to interrogate Cagalli, but the bitch just surrounded us and told us to leave before they attacked."

"Jeez, Yzak, just because none of them has the hots for you doesn't mean they're all whores. Besides, Cagalli confronted you? What did she say?" Dearka asked.

"I don't care if they don't have the hots for me! And she didn't say anything, I told you, she just said for us to leave before things got bloody. Like they'd stand a chance anyway. Seven on two is nothing. I'll take 'em all on."

"Just calm down. You didn't do anything stupid did you?" Dearka asked as he saw Athrun walk in. They glanced at each other and Dearka shook his head.

"No, they wouldn't budge on anything, but at least we got some good information. They know what we're planning which means they most likely have spyware and they don't plan on attacking or they would have done so. I don't think Cagalli has the guts to attack, even with Kira passed out. She's hiding, either waiting for something or trying to stall so she can think of a Plan B."

"Then we'll need to look for that spyware and dismantle it. You're on your way back right?"

"Of course, there's nothing else to do since no one wants to take any affirmative action."

"Hey, that's between you and Athrun, I'm not getting involved."

"Pansy."

"Asshole."

Yzak hung up and Dearka scowled at his phone.

"What did he say?" Athrun asked.

"The girls were waiting for them, patrolling the area. They said Kira was revenge for Luna and wouldn't say anything else except warning them to leave. Cagalli finally came out and shooed them away. He figures they definitely are spying on us but don't plan to make a move anytime soon. I assume they would have done something with those two since they knew they were coming anyway." Dearka replied.

"True, it seems odd she just let them go. I figured if they got caught they'd either attack or capture them. Maybe she really was just getting revenge." Athrun thought out loud.

"I'm sure that's why. She's not two-faced enough to be nice to us one minute then stab us in the back." Shinn commented.

"I sense a truce on the horizon." Nicol grinned.

"I doubt it. She has something up her sleeve. Even if she was thinking truce, Kira will most likely not be in the mood. We don't know what all happened at that beach, it's a shame Yzak couldn't get any more information." Athrun told them.

"I guess we still have to wait and see." Shinn said.

"What would you do?" Dearka asked.

They heard the side door open and close.

"What do you mean?" Athrun asked.

"What would you do if Kira doesn't make it? If she tried to call a truce." Dearka asked again as Yzak and Rey walked into the Infirmary.

"No way, I wouldn't buy it." Yzak said.

They all looked to Athrun. "I'm not sure." He finally said. "Once I find out what happened at the beach I'll have more to go on. Right now…it's hard to decide what to do."

"I still say we fight. The way they acted they're just bluffing. It was seven to two. They're afraid of us." Yzak replied.

"Or trying to intimidate us. We underestimated them already, what Cagalli did is proof we should never do so again." Shinn said.

"Yeah, if she's thinking of a truce, we should at least consider it. What are we really fighting for anyway? We're just getting revenge for getting revenge. It's a vicious circle. There's no point." Nicol responded.

Dearka nodded. Rey didn't move.

"Are you kidding me? We've been playing around with these little girls for too long! It's time we stop playing and take what's ours. We're the only two gangs left in this town, and it's time we toppled the Pokitknives and ran this place ourselves." Yzak barked.

"Nicol has a point, it's meaningless. All we're fighting over is territory that technically belongs to the Reapers anyway. I'm not saying we need to call a truce, but if she offers then it means she doesn't want to fight anymore." Athrun countered.

"So we should run her over! No more Mr. Nice Guys, we're Bloodlust, not the Backstreet Boys!" Yzak yelled.

"Why do you insist on fighting?" Athrun asked.

"Why are you such a coward?" Yzak replied.

"Being smart isn't cowardly; if we just commence an all-out attack they could be ready for us. From the information you gathered they know our every move due to surveillance, so before we do anything we need to take that advantage away. We need to find those cameras and dismantle them, and_ then_ we can plan for an attack." Athrun commanded.

"You act like you already run this gang. Why should I listen to you anyway?" Yzak asked.

"Because he's smarter than you, obviously." A new voice answered.

They all whirled around towards the occupied bed, where their leader was sitting up and staring at them with an unfriendly expression.

"Kira!" Shinn shouted and ran over. "What, how, why?" he spluttered, searching his eyes for any hint of emotion.

"I'm fine. Bulletproof, remember? If I can take a bullet, I can take a shark attack. Now is this really what you guys have been doing all day?" he asked, a mask already in place to disguise whatever he might be feeling.

"Erm, basically." Dearka said and shrugged.

"We were trying to figure out a next move. No one knew what happened at the beach with you and Cagalli. Yzak wanted to attack right away." Athrun explained.

"I still think it's the best option, no matter what happened." Yzak added.

"Kira, you should really lie down, you need more rest." Nicol said as he checked the IVs and monitor.

"I said I'm fine, I've rested enough apparently. I thought I made it clear that Athrun was in charge whenever I was out of action." Kira said sternly as he swung his legs over the bed.

"Because of the situation, we weren't sure whether that status still applied to him." Yzak said.

"You mean you didn't like it and tried to do things your own way instead."

Yzak returned the dark look and said nothing.

"I've really had enough off your attitude, Joule." Kira growled.

"I'm tired of playing games, Yamato." Yzak growled back.

"Oh here we go." Dearka sighed.

"Guys, we can fight amongst ourselves later, I want to make sure Kira is stabilized first." Nicol said, giving Kira a knowing look.

"Our leader is our leader, and it's our job to do what he says. We've survived so far with Kira, I'm sure he knows what he's doing." Rey spoke up, glancing at Yzak before leaving.

Athrun went to stand beside Kira who tried to stand up. Shinn was on the other side with Nicol close by. Dearka dragged Yzak out, following Rey.

"You two should leave, give him some space." Nicol advised.

Shinn ignored him and stayed close to Kira. Athrun looked to his friend, nodded, and left.

"Shinn, Nicol can take care of me by himself. Go." Kira ordered.

"This is my fault, I want to help." Shinn replied.

"What I did was my own choice, and this is the consequence. I can handle it. Go." he ordered again. Nicol glanced from one to the other with a worried look.

Shinn hesitated.

"Don't get me angry. I still need to punish you anyway." Kira growled.

Shinn's eyes softened and he ducked his head before leaving, looking back at the doorway. Kira's glare made him keep going.

Nicol let out a breath and eased Kira back in the bed.

"I'm not sure how you're awake yet, so you should just take it easy for now." Nicol told him.

"I'm the Ultimate Coordinator, I heal quicker and better than Coordinators and morphine burns out faster in my system. Dad told me when he tried to convince me to take over Bloodlust. Cagalli is a Natural but can go into SEED mode, something rare and powerful, that's why mom wanted her for Pokitknives. We were perfect for the roles." Kira said in a monotonous tone.

Nicol eyed him warily. "You didn't have to take those roles."

"We had no choice."

"You do now."

"So you're still trying to betray me?"

Nicol paused. "I'm not trying to betray you Kira; I just wish you'd see there's no point in fighting anymore. We're getting nowhere, at least rethink our tactics."

Kira glared at him. "This gang is going to ruins, I know that. Yzak is a renegade, Rey is a ticking time-bomb, Shinn is a loose cannon, you're a traitor, Dearka's too in love with women to fight them, and Athrun is too sane to deal with all their crap. If we can't manage ourselves, we can't even think of calling a truce."

"I understand that, but Yzak is the only real problem. I'm just…searching for more options. Athrun is a good second-in-command, someone to help when you can't handle it all. Shinn will do anything you say, Dearka knows his place, and Rey…well, Rey is smart." Nicol replied.

"Whatever. I'll explain what happened at the beach later. First I need to know the damage." Kira said.

"Right. A cut on the cheek, same as Shinn's I might add," Nicol answered and Kira glared again. "Um, your leg is badly torn, you're lucky the shark didn't take a chunk out. It needs more stitches and might scar."

Kira pushed the sheets off of him and looked down at his leg. He started unwrapping the bandages.

"Hey! What are you doing we just put those on!" Nicol exclaimed.

"Relax, I'm just checking them." Kira replied and finished. He examined his leg and frowned. It was more marred than he expected, but was healing fast enough. Some areas might not scar. "Do you have any sterile ointments?" he asked.

"Yes, there's some left." Nicol replied and handed him the tube.

Kira put it over his wounds, noting the stitches. "It doesn't look like they need to be redone, they should be fine. I just need to make sure the wounds are clean in case of infection."

"Well, I suppose that Ultimate Coordinator explanation makes sense. Shinn's cut healed pretty quickly, but yours is already close to his. Do you think that was a coincidence?"

"What?"

"That she cut you on the same cheek you cut Shinn."

"Oh, maybe. She has a soft spot for him I suppose."

"Do you?"

The look Kira gave him made Nicol regret the question, but he didn't take it back.

"Everyone already knows how I feel about Shinn. It doesn't change the fact that Luna's pregnant with his child."

"So what are you going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, about Shinn, about the situation."

Kira paused. Nicol wondered how far he would allow him to tread into these intimate feelings.

"That's between me and him."

The line was drawn. Nicol thought about crossing it, but didn't want to incur the wrath of his Godfather. The state he was in may be stabilized physically, but not emotionally. He only hoped Shinn was healed more than Kira was, or else the boy would soon be in more pain. Again.

"Right, sorry I asked, it was none of my business." Nicol said.

"Do you think it's wrong?" Kira asked.

"What?"

"To…feel the way I feel about him."

"Oh, um, I'm not sure. I don't know the dynamics of your relationship. If you love him, enough to protect him, enough to let him go, I see nothing wrong with that. But if you're selfish, and want him just to yourself, it's unhealthy for both of you." Nicol replied honestly.

Kira's lips curved into a half-smile. "Traitor."

* * *

"Cagalli, he…he's awake." Meyrin gasped, looking at the monitors.

"What? Who?" she asked as she walked towards the screen, peering in.

"Kira."

Her eyes widened. "It can't be. That's too soon. There's no way he's healed enough to be awake." She breathed.

"What's going on? Is he awake so soon?" Shiho asked as she came in to the room.

"Apparently. Either they have really good meds over there or…maybe he wasn't that badly injured." Cagalli thought to herself.

"That's odd. What is this guy, Superman?" she asked.

"Who's Superman?" Fllay asked as she walked by.

"Check it out, he's alive. And kicking." Meyrin said and waved her in.

"Ooo, yay!" she squealed. The other girls glanced at her strangely, and she shrugged sheepishly. "I'm just glad he's not dead so we don't have to deal with any more cops or new leaders."

"Who's not dead?" Milly asked. "Why is everyone in here is there something going on?"

"Kira is awake." Cagalli said.

"What? That's impossible! There was blood everywhere when they brought him in! Nicol was saying how it would take a day at least! It hasn't been a full day yet! Today hasn't even ended yet!" she exclaimed.

"I know, I don't understand how it's possible." Cagalli replied.

"What's all the commotion?" Stellar asked.

"Oh my gosh. We can't win. He's a freaking nightmare! There's no way to stop him!" Milly screamed.

"Milly! Calm down! It's probably just a Coordinator thing!" Cagalli replied, trying to calm the girl.

"I doubt it, not even Coordinators heal that fast." Shiho commented.

"Well aren't you two kinda different from Coordinators anyway? I mean, you're a Natural who can go into SEED mode, maybe he's like…a Super Coordinator or something." Meyrin supplied.

"That would make sense. I heard something about scientists meddling with the idea of an Ultimate Coordinator or something like that. Didn't you say your mom told you about that when she was recruiting you to the gang?" Shiho asked.

"Yeah, that's why mom and dad wanted us to take over. We were both different, unique, stronger than normal. But still, this is almost inhuman." Cagalli answered.

"Maybe he knows something we don't know." Fllay suggested.

"Stellar thinks he is a robot." Stellar said. They all stared at her and she lowered her head.

"He's a freak." Milly spat.

"I'll say. No wonder Luna was so traumatized." Meyrin agreed.

"Well it doesn't look like he'll be attacking anytime soon, but until then we need to prepare. If they try to find the cameras and sweep make sure they can't turn it around on us. If they end up getting rid of it, we'll need to be careful and on high alert. Get in touch with Andy and let him know we may need backup or at least extra supplies. I want a team at the base at all times, no one leaves without my permission. Secure the base and stock up on the basics in case we're holed up in here for a while. Keep an eye on what they're doing and if they cut the spyware I'll send a team to investigate. Operation: Heartbreak is over." Cagalli told them.

"But it could still be useful." Fllay said.

"It's too dangerous." Cagalli replied.

"It may be exactly what we need. Kira is vulnerable. He may be Superman, but we have his Kryptonite." Meyrin said with a wicked grin.

"Where's Lacus?"

* * *

**-Author's Note: One extremely long update, due to the fact that I haven't updated in -checks last update- nine months? Oops, sorry guys. I will accept yelling for this. I hit a block because I used up all the plot bunnies, but I think I'm ready to start another binge for this fic. No guarantees of a fast update, but hopefully it'll be faster than last time. Please review and tell me what you think, any ideas, questions, comments, etc., are welcome (maybe they'll even help me write faster! –wink-). Peace out!-**


	33. Chapter 33: From Past to Present

**Chapter 33: From Past to Present**

**Disclaimer:**** Still no ownage…but wait, is that a plot I see?**

* * *

"_He's my child! You can't do this! I won't let you!" a woman screamed._

"_He's my son as well, trust me, this is for the good of mankind! If this works, we'll be praised!" a man replied._

"_None of the others worked, and I can't stand to see another child of mine die because of your crazy experiments! No more!" she screamed again._

_They were in his lab, fighting again about his latest craving. Ulen Hibiki was trying to create the Ultimate Coordinator, something much stronger than an unaltered Natural, and yet even stronger than a Coordinator. But to do this, he used his wife's unborn children, genetically altering them, trying to create the perfect person; stronger, faster, smarter, and more talented. Not just a Coordinator, but the Ultimate Coordinator._

_But Via didn't want to see her children die anymore. All of his experiments failed, leaving their children stillborn. She couldn't go through it again; she hated him for doing this to her and their children. Now she had twins, and he wanted one more chance to make the perfect person._

"_This one will work, I promise. I know he'll survive, I know he'll be the one!" Ulen tried to convince her._

"_You always say that! How do I know you can really do this? All our children are dead because you won't realize this will never work! Why can't you see that?" Via cried._

"_One more chance, just one more and if it doesn't work I'll never tamper with genes again!" he pleaded._

_A few months later, twins were born to Via Hibiki. One was a male who was named Kira, the other was a female named Cagalli. Dr. Ulen Hibiki's experiment finally worked on Kira, while Cagalli was left as a Natural. No one was sure of the hidden potential in both, but Dr. Hibiki knew that he had finally accomplished his goal._

_He had created the Ultimate Coordinator._

_A few years later, the couple got into another fight, when Ulen wanted more. More Ultimates, more power, more fame. Via wanted nothing more to do with her crazed husband, so she gathered some friends to stop him. He in turn gathered friends of his own, not letting his wife stand in the way of his dreams._

_This was the beginning of the Pokitknives and Bloodlust gangs. Via's gang consisted of all females, women who were either mothers or knew the dangers of what Ulen was trying to do. Ulen's gang consisted of men who valued his goal and wanted to further the accomplishment and produce more Ultimate Coordinators. They fought viciously; rocking ORB to its core as they slowly tore the city apart._

_There were other gangs at the time; some joined Bloodlust, and some joined Pokitknives, but most tried to stay out of the way. Soon, The Reapers had to step in. They weren't so much the Guardians, but more the Law of the Gangs. They had never been tested before, and both Ulen and Via knew they were no match for the Original Godfathers, so they concentrated solely on fighting each other instead of destroying the city._

_The twins grew up in separate homes, so as not to be involved in the violence until it was the proper time. Uzumi Nara Attha was part of The Reapers at the time, as well as being the Representative of ORB, and had agreed to take care of Cagalli. The Yamatos had nothing to do with the gangs, but were friends of both Ulen and Via. Not wanting to choose sides, they instead offered to take care of Kira. What neither of the adoptive parents knew was that both Ulen and Via planned to one day see their children and force them to carry on their legacy._

_When Cagalli and Kira found out who their real parents were and met each other, they were then given the choice. Take over the separate gangs, or be the next victims. By this time, both Ulen and Via were blind with hatred for each other and would do anything to win, but they were at a stalemate and hopped that each child could change the odds in their favor. Via hoped Cagalli would stop Kira from any harm she thought he would inflict, seeing him as a monster. Ulen hoped Kira would finally end his mother's gang once and for all._

_The Reapers consisted of Uzumi Attha, Rau le Creuset, Patrick Zala, and Mwu la Flaga. They were all original Godfathers of their own gangs, fighting amongst each other and destroying the city of ORB in the process. Finally they tried to make peace, and Uzumi convinced them to join together and become the Law, since the police of ORB kept not only interfering in the gang warfare, but also couldn't keep up with the damage the gangs were causing. So the gangs disbanded, but the leaders joined in a new gang to watch over the city and any new gangs._

_The beginning was rough, with The Reapers often being challenged, and eventually Uzumi and Patrick lost their lives. They were replaced with Gilbert Durandal, the new Zaft Chairman, and Andy Waltfeld, a renowned General and mobster. _

_When Rau found out that Kira was the Ultimate Coordinator and was being pressured into taking over Bloodlust, he decided to use this advantage to topple The Reapers, not exactly at peace with their arrangement. He got close to Kira, trying to use him to control the Bloodlust gang. Kira caught on to Rau's intentions and they fought, but Rau won and by way of punishment raped Kira. He made Kira take over the Bloodlust gang and tried to use him as a puppet, but Kira wouldn't let him. Rau knew that all the torture he put Kira through would darken the boy and then force Cagalli to take over her mother's gang._

_Once Kira took over Bloodlust, Cagalli knew that she had to stop her brother, he had changed and became vicious, and she couldn't let him destroy everything just like her mother feared. Their friends took sides, slowly at first, replacing the old members and establishing a new gang entirely._

_There was one other powerful gang, powerful enough to challenge The Reapers. Miguel was the leader, and the other members were never known, because they were so secretive. They were called The Fallen, referring to themselves as fallen angels as they desired to rule the city and make it their own. They had radical ideals and saw The Reapers as getting in their way and not doing what they should because of the corruption in ORB. They declared war with The Reapers, challenging them to become the new law keepers. The battle caught media attention, but The Reapers won and quieted the media before the details were spilled. There was only one survivor, because he offered a peace treaty when he saw that his gang was losing. The Reapers decided not to kill unnecessarily and spared the man's life, who then joined Kira's gang with a new goal: Peace._

_His name is Nicol Amarfi._

_So the two siblings continued the fight their parents started, each fearing the other. They soon forgot about their parents arguments and created their own. They fought over territory, trying to take over the city land-wise and run the other gang out. Cagalli and Kira both grew colder, and so did their friends as the fighting continued and became more dangerous. However, two people realized the damage the gangs were causing each other. Lacus Clyne, of the Pokitknives, was in love with Kira. They were High School Sweethearts before he got caught up in his father's war. She knew the siblings were fighting for the wrong reasons and only hurting each other more, so she tried to persuade Cagalli to make peace. In Bloodlust, Nicol was trying to do the same, knowing what happens when a gang gets too out of control, and when a war becomes too dangerous. But neither leader would listen, so Lacus and Nicol decided to meet up and figure out how to make their two gangs stop fighting._

_They tried convincing them, but no one wanted to end the war. Soon they started sharing gang secrets, making both gangs confused as to why their plan didn't work, or why the other gang knew what they were doing. Kira suspected that Nicol was up to something, knowing Nicol's past. He didn't realize he was meeting up with Lacus until he caught them. But Kira didn't do anything, because he wanted Nicol to tell him the truth. Cagalli realized something was up when Lacus would go off and kept trying to make her call a truce and make peace. At first she thought Lacus was going to see Kira, but then found out she was seeing Nicol instead, talking peace. Instead of confronting her friend, Cagalli waited until Lacus confessed to meeting secretly with Nicol. While Cagalli and Kira realized this was a threat, they weren't sure how serious the two were about making peace, and secretly wanted the war to end._

_But now, nobody knows what will happen next._

* * *

Lacus sat at the beach, staring at the waves. Her face held a lifeless look, like she wasn't really seeing the sunset in front of her.

All she could think about was Kira.

She heard footsteps and goose bumps rose on her arms, but she couldn't find the emotion to care about any upcoming danger. Nicol sat down beside her, silent.

They stared at the waves, not saying anything, for a long time.

"Kira woke up." Nicol finally said.

Lacus perked up, light coming back to her eyes. "What?" she breathed and turned to him.

"Yeah, and he knows. About what we've been doing. Although he didn't tell me to stop, so I take that as a sign that he welcomes the idea of peace." Nicol replied and smirked.

"Is he, is he okay? How did he wake up that fast?" she asked, unable to believe what he was telling her was true.

"Ultimate Coordinator, remember? That's what started this whole thing. And now look, we're just bickering and getting revenge for all the wrongs we've caused each other. It's time to end this, one way or the other."

"Yes, I remember, and you're right. But, do you really think he's ready for peace?"

"We'll know soon enough. Is Cagalli planning on calling a truce?"

"I'm not sure. We're just biding our time right now, waiting for Kira's reaction. Is he mad? Of course he'd mad, that was stupid. How mad is he?"

"Um, well, I can't really tell. He…he didn't show much emotion. I guess we really do have to wait and see. I'll try my best to convince him to stop fighting, but he could be feeling anything right now." Nicol confessed.

"What Cagalli did…what they both did…pushed things over the limit. Either it will get worse, or they'll realize just how bad it's already gotten and quit while they're ahead." Lacus replied.

Nicol nodded.

Lacus's phone rang, and she saw that Cagalli was calling. She answered it hesitantly.

"_Where are you?" _Cagalli asked, sounding worried.

"At the beach." Lacus replied, knowing Cagalli would be angry. The beach had become a place of danger and resentment. It was no longer the place to go when you wanted to relax, it was stained with the blood of betrayal and hurt.

"_Why are you at the beach! What's going on Lacus?"_ Cagalli demanded.

"I'm not hurt, I'm fine. I'm just…talking with Nicol. He told me Kira is awake." Lacus told her.

Cagalli was silent for a moment. _"You're still trying to scheme against me? Lacus, these are dangerous times, we don't know what they're up to, even with the spyware!"_

"I know, but I feel this is the perfect time to stop and realize that fighting is meaningless and to call a truce. I know you've been thinking about it."

"_Lacus, stop. If Nicol just heard you, we could all be in danger! I don't know what Kira is feeling or thinking or even planning, we have to stay together. Come back to base, now."_ Cagalli ordered.

"Cagalli, he wants peace just like I do. But if you must insist, we can continue this conversation at the base." Lacus replied determinedly.

Cagalli sighed and hung up.

"I have to go. She's worried. For her sanity, don't tell Kira about our conversation. Not unless he's in the mood to agree with the notion." Lacus told Nicol.

"Of course." He replied. He watched her leave and sighed. "Kira, what are you thinking? Were you telling me you wanted peace? Or were you telling me you wanted blood?"

* * *

Murrue was fuming. She was more angry at herself than Mwu. She couldn't believe she didn't see what he was doing, distracting her so he could steal the file! Now the Chief of Police would be even more furious. He was already losing the battle with his daughters, and by finding out who exactly was in each gang, he realized he was dealing with something far bigger than he could handle. The case was being handed over to Gilbert Durandal, the Chairman of Zaft, since ORB was still scrambling to find a new Representative. However, Murrue knew that Gilbert was involved with The Reapers, so realized that the case would be dropped. Thankfully, Police Chief Hawke didn't know this, and she was hoping to keep it that way. The less he knew, the better, and she was only relieved that he would no longer have authority over this case because of the people involved.

Then again, she didn't want the case to be dropped because of the people involved either. Something was going on with those two gangs, and she was going to get to the bottom of it. Lunamaria Hawke wouldn't have attacked Shinn Asuka for no reason, especially since they were in somewhat of a relationship. She wanted to find justice, but knew that locking Luna up once she was released from the Mental Institution would not serve as justice. She knew that there was nothing she could do, but she couldn't give up or drop the case herself or she would lose her badge.

She sighed as she made her way to Durandal's office, wanting to speak with him before he evaluated the case.

He allowed her in and she sat down, noting the calm and pleased expression he had. He almost looked amused.

"Look, I just want to know what you're going to do with this case." She finally said.

"I'm going to drop it. Lunamaria is in the Mental Institution, and even if she's being released, she was clearly not in her right mind when she attacked Shinn. In court, it would flop anyway, so there's no point in pushing it. Besides, Hawke knows too much already, the less he delves, the better I'll feel about things. It was pure coincidence that his daughter ended up getting involved and this had to happen." He answered honestly.

"You and your…friends, are supposed to be making sure this kind of stuff doesn't happen." Murrue said.

"Yes, and we're still working out the details, but we are not to interfere with their fight. We will talk with both gangs soon, but Murrue, I'm afraid this is the end of the line for you. I cannot allow you to involve the police anymore. Let us take care of it." Gilbert told her.

"I'm just trying to figure out how this happened in the first place. I realize there is no justice to be done other than what the gangs decide, but once the police are involved, something has to be done." She said.

"Something will be done. You made Kira aware that Shinn needs to finish school. While I wouldn't suggest going so far as to strip Kira of his guardianship over Shinn, the threat was made, and that is all you can do."

"What will be done about this then, if the police can find no justice?"

"We will make it clear that they are venturing too far into dangerous waters, and be sure to resolve the issue. You must remember, however, that this comes with the game."

"This is not a game. A boy is hurt and could be damaged for life. A girl is mentally unstable, pregnant, and may be forced to make a decision she will regret. Someone needs to be punished." Murrue replied vehemently.

Gilbert gave her a knowing look. "As for Luna, she is now in her right mind. I just signed the papers to have her released, but since she is an adult, she does not have to go back to her father. Also, someone has already been punished, and it is up to that person what everyone's next move will be."

"What do you know that I don't?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

He chuckled. "If I told you, you would have no choice but to hand Police Chief Hawke your badge and gun."

She remained quiet, and then pulled out her badge, staring at it.

Gilbert looked surprised as she looked up at him with a new emotion on her face.

"I wanted to find justice, and if I can't do that as a detective, I'll do it as a Reaper."

"Do you realize what you're doing? What you're giving up? What you're getting involved in?" he asked, incredulous, although not too surprised.

"You have a spot open, don't you? After Shinn killed Rau."

_That_ surprised him. "How did you know?" he asked as he leaned forward in his chair.

She smiled. "I've delved a lot deeper than you know, Chairman. Do I need to audition, or am I in?"

He smiled back and stood. She stood as well as he walked around his desk and stuck out his hand. "While this would require a vote, or at least consideration from the rest of the group, I feel they would have no problem accepting you as one of us, as I accept you."

She shook his hand, feeling accomplished.

"Besides, Mwu will be quite pleased."

* * *

Nicol drove to the hospital and went around the back, where someone was waiting for him. He had some bags and a few small machines, as well as stands for IV drips. They loaded the medical supplies into Nicol's trunk and nodded to each other. He told Kira he was going out to get the supplies, and didn't want to come back empty handed, even though he mainly intended to speak with Lacus. Plus, he really wanted those supplies.

He drove back to the base just in time to hear what happened at the beach. They all helped him unload and set everything up in the Infirmary and then Kira sat them down and began his tale.

"We met at Larry's on the boardwalk and talked it out. She wanted to know why I hurt Luna, and she blamed me for everything. She said I owed her." He began with a sour look on his face. "She wanted some territory, a Blood Tribute, and no more attempts at spyware. I agreed to give her the mall, so that's off-limits, and the cut on my cheek was the blood tribute before she pushed me in."

"Well, that explains it then." Dearka remarked.

"Way to be a pushover." Yzak muttered.

"Excuse me?" Kira snapped.

"I just meant that's a lot to give up for something we had every right to do." Yzak replied louder.

Kira sighed. "I realize that, which makes this," he pointed to his marred leg, "a lot worse. I already didn't want to give her any territory as well as a Blood Tribute, and I chose to ignore the 'no more spyware' crack. She went over the line."

"But she thinks _you_ went over the line with Luna." Shinn spoke up.

"She went further." Kira growled.

Nicol saw that this was turning towards the wrong decision, and so decided against his better judgment and spoke. "I suppose she justifies it as punishment for everything lately, not just what you did to Luna."

Kira looked at him, and Nicol couldn't tell if it was anger or agreement he saw on his face.

"Give it a rest, Nicol. This definitely isn't the time for a truce." Yzak said.

"I gotta agree with Yzak. She…really crossed the line here." Dearka said.

"That's a lot to ask of you, to ask of us, for something so," Rey glanced at Shinn, "small in comparison."

"Luna's in the loony bin." Shinn growled. "She's pregnant, confused, and has to deal with shit from her father who got involved because of what happened. It's a bigger deal than you think."

The tension in the air was thick. Shinn was glaring at the floor and Kira was looking at him with a level gaze. Yzak kept looking from one to the other, waiting for the fight.

"Luna's reaction can't be blamed on Kira though. I'm sure Cagalli didn't intend for Kira to be attacked by a shark, just like Kira never intended for Luna to drown. What happened from that night needs to be resolved, but not with any more bloodshed." Athrun finally said.

Kira looked to his best friend and glanced at Nicol.

"No, that's exactly what we need. Cagalli is scared, we need to take advantage of that! This is when we end the war!" Yzak shouted.

"This _is_ the time to end it, but _not_ with more fighting." Nicol replied.

"Oh shut up traitor!" Yzak yelled.

"Yzak come on, you're just making things worse." Dearka said.

Rey sighed and leaned against the wall, waiting for the yelling and arguments to stop. Shinn got up and left, walking out of the side door and sitting against the brick wall on the sidewalk.

"Kira, whatever you decide, we'll be with you. However for sanity's sake it could probably be sooner rather than later." Athrun said quietly.

"I know Athrun, but…" Kira said.

Yzak seized his moment. "Look, she went over the line. What we did to Luna was a message, and we need to follow through or we'll look weak. They don't know what they're doing and as soon as we disable the spyware we can-," he was cut off when Kira's eyes popped open.

"They still have spy equipment set up?" he said in a dark tone.

"We didn't get to look for it to dismantle it, but yes, we assume they can still see and hear things that go on in and around the base." Rey answered.

"You fools! Why have you been discussing this when you knew they could hear? Before we decide anything I want that shit destroyed! I can't believe you've been fighting like this and letting them see! What's wrong with you?" Kira yelled.

They flinched at his anger and remained quiet.

"We tried to do that earlier but they knew we were coming." Yzak said in a more respectful tone.

"Then do it when they don't know. We need to talk someplace else." Kira replied.

"It's late, maybe we should talk more tomorrow." Dearka suggested.

"No, this has waited too long. Let's go, _everyone_." Kira demanded.

They followed their leader out of the side door where Kira nudged Shinn. "You're coming with me, now." He ordered.

Shinn sighed and got up. He and Athrun got in Kira's car while Yzak, Dearka, Nicol, and Rey got in Nicol's.

"Fill me in Athrun. Why didn't this get done sooner?" Kira asked as he started to drive.

"They know our every move, I sent Rey and Yzak to do recon and they were caught, seven on two. Cagalli even came out and wouldn't say anything except that you were revenge for Luna and told them to leave." Athrun replied.

"What else?" Kira asked.

"I talked with Mwu, he said he'd help with Murrue and got Nicol those medical supplies. We were going to speak with Gilbert Durandal as well to see if he could help. We didn't want to make any big decisions while you were out since we had no idea what really happened."

"Well this is what's going to happen. We make the decision tonight. First we're going to get rid of that spyware so we can talk freely at the base. Then I'll talk with Mwu and Durandal about the cops. If Cagalli wants to make peace, she better have a good reason for feeding me to that shark. If she attacks, we're not holding back. I don't care how much you like her Athrun. Yzak and Nicol are both right, it's time to end this, I'm just not sure how yet." Kira told them.

Shinn sat staring out of the window in the passenger seat, with Athrun behind him. Athrun nodded, although looking unsure.

"Have you run off to see Luna again Shinn?" Kira asked.

"No, I stayed by you." The boy replied.

"What are you going to do about her?"

"What do you mean, 'do about her'?" Shinn said in an angry tone. Athrun tried to tune out their conversation.

"What are your intentions with her?" Kira asked again.

Shinn sighed. "I don't know. If you're asking if I intend to have a baby with her, then yes I do. But that all depends on her sanity and whether her dad decides to be a bigger dick than he already is."

"So you're going to quit the gang?"

Shinn was silent for a moment. "It depends."

"On what?" Kira said, there was a hard edge to his tone.

"On whether you wanna be a bigger dick as well." Shinn grumbled.

Athrun knew the shit was about to hit the fan.

"I do have a bigger dick Shinn, and you better remember that. You don't know how mad I am right now."

"I remember you ramming into me if that's what you mean, and you have no reason to be angry at me either." Shinn yelled.

Athrun tried to remember a song in his head to keep his mind off the disturbing things he was hearing.

"I have every reason to be angry at you, you selfish little brat!" Kira roared.

"Oh I'm selfish, how the fuck am _I_ selfish! You're the one that tried to kill my girlfriend and won't let me see her even though she's having _my_ child! You want me all to yourself because Lacus is too far away to screw around with!" Shinn screamed.

"Excuse me? You're off in la-la land Shinn. I can get anyone whenever I want, but I choose you and you make a big deal out of it. How am I being selfish when all you do is bitch and moan about how I treat you then try to get me in bed with you because your slut girlfriend stabbed you in the dick after I told a little lie? It's not my fault she went psycho! And you should've worn a condom damn it!" Kira yelled.

"I did but it broke you asshole! And it _is_ your fault she freaked out like that because you lied to her and made her believe I was a douche bag, and then you tried to kill her! I didn't knock her up on purpose but you act like I did just to rub it in your face! You think I wanna be in this position? You. Are. Nuts!" Shinn yelled back.

"I'll show you nuts ya little-," Kira growled and punched Shinn. He started hitting him wherever he could reach, one hand on the wheel.

"Hey! Quit you freak!" Shinn shouted and punched back, trying to block Kira's attacks.

"Uh guys…"

"I'm not the freak, you are! Manwhore!" Kira shouted back.

"You're just jealous jerk!" Shinn replied.

"Uh…guys…"

"Maybe I should finish what Luna started, so you can't knock up the rest of the Pokitknives!"

"Why would I do that when you've already slept with half of them?"

"I slept with two of them you idiot! There are eight!"

"Well who knows what else you did, or who, seeing as you can't seem to ever control yourself! Maybe _you_ knocked Luna up!"

"Oh that is it!"

"GUYS!" Athrun shouted.

Kira let go of Shinn's package, who was bent over and trying not to scream. "WHAT?" he shouted back.

"I really don't think you should be doing this while driving." Athrun said, although more concerned about Kira beating up Shinn than getting in a wreck.

"Oh you're such a pansy Athrun!"

"Hey, you seemed to have forgotten I was also in the car. While this is all interesting, I really don't want to hear your little lover's spat! Can we focus on our next move please?"

Kira grumbled something incoherent but put both hands back on the wheel, glaring over at Shinn every once in a while.

"You're the pansy Kira." Shinn mumbled, glaring back at him.

Kira backhanded him and started yelling again but Athrun got in the middle, restraining both of them.

"Kira, seriously, you can do this later. You just woke up, you're angry, this isn't the right time." He told him. "And Shinn, shut up."

"Stay out of it Athrun." They both replied angrily.

"I would if I wasn't IN THE CAR!" he yelled.

"Then get out of the car, we're here!" Kira told him.

Shinn and Athrun both realized that Kira had parked at the weapons shop that Mwu took over. Nicol pulled up next to him, and they were all staring at Kira's car with shocked and confused faces. Apparently, they had heard the yelling and seen the fighting.

Athrun got out and started to pace, trying to calm himself. They couldn't all start fighting with each other, that would only make things worse. The others got out of Nicol's car and looked at him expectantly.

Athrun sighed. "Shinn and Kira are fighting. They're acting like little girls." He growled.

"Oh, I gotta see this." Yzak said and went up to the car.

"Hey, no, don't encourage them! We can't fight amongst each other right now." Athrun said and blocked his way.

"I wanna see that punk get his ass kicked." Yzak said.

"I'm not gonna lie, this sounds interesting." Dearka asked as he stood next to the car, clearly listening to the conversation inside.

"What the, will you, ah forget it!" Athrun finally said and threw his hands in the air.

Rey shook his head and went inside the shop, Nicol sweat dropped and followed. "This is one battle I am _not_ going to try to make peace with." he said as he went inside.

Yzak and Dearka were snickering by the car, obviously enjoying the fight. Athrun rolled his eyes and also went inside.

"Hey, what's going on?" Mwu asked from behind the counter.

"Well, Kira's awake." Nicol said.

"And fighting with Shinn as usual." Rey added.

"God help us." Athrun breathed and laid his head on the counter.

"That bad huh?" Mwu asked with an interested yet wary expression.

"Uh huh." They all answered.

"So I guess Yzak and Dearka are watching the show?"

"Yep."

"Well…I'm glad Kira's back."

Grunts were his only response as he peered out of the shop windows to see the car moving because of obvious violence going on inside. Yzak and Dearka were laughing all over each other.

'_Oh dear.'_ Mwu thought.

* * *

"Are you sure? She's fine?" Cagalli asked. She was talking with Dr. Maaz who told her Luna was ready to be released.

"Yes, she's competent and in her right mind. So much so that her father has been denied the request of making her get an abortion. You can take her home today. I'll give you some medication in case she relapses, and you'll have to watch her pregnancy. I'm not sure what kind of side-effects this will have on the baby, but it's still early so I don't foresee any major damage." He replied happily.

For some odd reason, Cagalli thought the man was proud that he prevented the Chief of Police from forcing his daughter to have an abortion; in fact, she thought he was proud that he prevented the Chief of Police from doing something at all! She allowed a small smile for his pride, and then beamed.

They walked down the halls to Luna's room, where she was packing her belongings, standing on her own and unstrapped from the bed. When Cagalli entered, the girl looked up and smiled.

"Hey! They said I'm free to go and back to sanity!" Luna told her cheerily.

"So I heard. I'm sure you're ready to get home, and Mey's missed you a lot, all of the girls have, so let's go." Cagalli told her.

Luna nodded and followed her out of the room, down the hall, and out of the building. They had already signed her out, so she hopped in Cagalli's car and they drove away.

Cagalli told her the latest news on the way, and when they arrived at the base she introduced her to Shiho. Everyone gave her a big hug and cheered for her return, especially Meyrin. They all chatted for a long time, ignoring the boys and their squabbling.

The Hawke sisters were reunited.

Luna was back.

* * *

**-Author's Note: That was long. And quick. YAY! So the beginning was kind of an explanation (in the form of a memory of some sorts) of what happened to get to where we started off, the conversation between the Hibiki's actually happened in the series (I know the words might be a bit off, but it was the same argument). I was inspired and finally started to get somewhat of a plot going on in my head (thanks AsuCagx!), so hopefully I've cleared up a lot of confusion as to why and how the twins got involved in the gang business, and also cleared up some stuff about The Reapers and what changed Kira. I'm sure there's more to come, but I hope you guys liked this chapter. I tried to throw in some humor, and decided that Luna needed to get back in action, and of course added a few twists. Please tell me what you think; comments, questions, ideas and such are welcome. Thirty-three chapters and still going strong! Peace-**


	34. Chapter 34: Decisions

**Chapter 34: Decisions**

**Disclaimer:**** I only own the insane plot twists of this particular fiction.**

_So I was reading over Kira and Shinn's argument and realized…FUNNIEST SHIZNITZ EVAR! I made it humorous because…well…you'll see why._

* * *

Kira dragged Shinn by his right arm into the shop and held him close.

"Sorry about that, I had some business to take care of." He said to Mwu.

Yzak and Dearka snickered while Mwu glanced from the bruised and annoyed Shinn to the normal-looking Kira. Shinn crossed his arms and scowled, Kira's arm wrapped around his back and resting on his hip.

"So I…see. Ahem, now then. Uh, welcome back!" Mwu replied and smiled.

"It's good to be back. However, I have a lot to do now. I figured you could help, plus since The Reapers will most likely poke their heads in to check on us anyway, I'd fill you in."

"You are correct. Normally we don't allow what happened between Shinn and Luna, and we've been discussing the repercussions of everything that your two gangs have been doing. The death of Rau, for instance. We knew he was plotting against us anyway, and using you as a puppet, so technically, Shinn did our job for us. Therefore, no punishment is needed, besides, after what Luna did there's nothing for us to do. So Shinn is off the hook." Mwu began to explain.

Kira glanced at Shinn who looked a bit relieved.

"Also, we don't get involved with squabbles between gangs, we just make sure they don't venture too far into dangerous waters. And you my friend have been swimming in them…no pun intended. The situation at the beach, seeing as it _is_ a public place, is very disturbing to us. Now you all know I'm a good friend of yours, Kira, but I am also involved in keeping the law around here. The police were snooping around, and so information about the members of both your gangs had to be leaked in order to have the case brought before Gilbert. Now the Chief of Police knows who everyone is, and will most likely try something stupid. I got Murrue off your scent, or at least deterred her because for some reason she can't stand me and so will stay away from anything I'm involved in. However, she knows who most of The Reapers are, so who knows what she'll do, but I doubt it will be as brash as Mr. Hawke's plans.

"If the media had gotten a whiff of the beach action, serious consequences would have been dealt, but since I haven't noticed anything in the News, you're all safe. But we do need to give you a warning, and that is," here Mwu cleared his throat. "QUIT SCARING THE BEACHGOERS! YOU'RE RUINING COMMERCE!"

Kira's eyes widened at Mwu's yelling, and the rest of the guys started laughing.

Mwu smiled. "Hey, it's still a warning, even if I made it humorous, but seriously guys…tourism has gotten low at the beach. Now with the news of a shark attack which we have to tweak, and I will also discuss that, even less people will want to go to the beach. So pretty much stay away with gang activity until people feel safe again, okay?"

"That's understandable. I didn't realize I would be getting a lecture upon coming here." Kira said and smirked.

Mwu grinned. "It's my favorite part of being in The Reapers!" he said childishly. "Back to seriousness. I know why you came here. Cagalli pushed you into the ocean, and a shark ended up attacking you. You're pissed, and I can understand. However, you have to realize it was not her intention."

"How do you know? She coincidentally demanded a Blood Tribute and right after she got it she pushed me in. That shark smelled my blood, that's why it attacked." Kira said.

"I know because Cagalli isn't like that and we both know it." Mwu replied.

"But-," Kira began but Mwu cut him off.

"No buts. You can ask her yourself. Speaking of, as far as The Reapers can tell the slate is now wiped clean. Vengeance has been had, and you can both move on from here. That's what you'll get from me, as a friend, and as a Reaper."

Kira glared at him for a moment and his followers looked to him, waiting.

"You know something." He finally said with narrowed eyes.

Mwu blinked innocently. "Why do you think that?" he asked.

"Just tell me what she said Mwu, although why she would talk to you is beyond me." Kira said.

"She didn't tell me, she told Andy. Just like you've been talking with me, she's been talking with Andy. He says she had no intention of a shark attack, but that she was copying what you did to Luna. You left Luna tied to the pier and she was in danger of drowning while unconscious. However, you called Cagalli to let her know her girl was in trouble, so she returned the favor. Technically, she saved your life, because who knows what would have happened if your boys had not arrived." Mwu answered.

"I probably would have been rushed to the hospital and enticed more police to stick their nose in my business." Kira replied.

"In which case The Reapers would have definitely had to step in. See, she saved your butt either way." Mwu said.

"It doesn't mean I like her actions." Kira growled.

"You don't have to like her actions, you just have to accept that what's done is done. It is time for your next move." Mwu told him.

"Which is to attack and crush her while she's vulnerable!" Yzak said.

"No it's to call a truce!" Nicol replied.

"Yzak Mwu just said we shouldn't take revenge for what Cagalli did, so why should we attack?" Athrun asked.

"Because it won't be revenge it will be the end! She's not willing to do anything and we all know she's afraid of Kira's reaction, so we should use that to our advantage and just win this war." Yzak answered.

"But why end it in bloodshed when we can simply end it with peace and no fighting? That way no one gets hurt and there are no hard feelings." Nicol said.

"Because she obviously is too chicken to do either of those things!" Yzak yelled.

"Just because she hasn't done something yet doesn't give us the right to destroy her gang Yzak." Dearka told him.

"She's probably either waiting on Kira to see if he's mad enough to attack or tired of fighting and wants a truce. Either that or she has her own plans." Rey spoke up.

"If it's our decision she's waiting on, then I say we attack." Yzak said.

"And I say call a truce." Nicol replied.

Mwu watched the exchange. "So this is what you've been dealing with since you woke up?" he asked Kira.

"Yes, and the brat." Kira replied and glanced at Shinn with a small smile.

"Hey, you started it. I was worried about you and stayed by your bedside the whole time. This is what I get for being loyal. Jerk." He mumbled.

"Well, what are your thoughts Kira?" Mwu asked.

Everyone stopped their arguments and looked at their leader.

"I was kind of hoping you'd have some thoughts to share." He said.

"All I'm going to say is be more careful, and don't get revenge. I can't make the decision for you, but if you attack her she'll think it's out of vengeance. Then again, I know you don't want to call a truce." Mwu told him.

"Then we can't attack. At least not yet." Kira said.

"What!" Yzak yelled. Everyone turned to glare at him, so he remained silent.

"And there's no way I'm calling a truce. There's too much still up in the air." Kira continued.

"But…" Nicol said but trailed off.

"So here's the plan…" Kira continued.

* * *

"Damn it! Kira knows he can't discuss anything at the base so he went somewhere else! Be on the lookout for when they try to dismantle the spyware." Cagalli told the girls assembled.

"Great, even when we know what they're saying and doing we still have no idea what their plan is. He could be on his way here right now!" Milly exclaimed.

"No, he'd be here already. He wanted to make the decision somewhere else. He probably went somewhere public but with not a lot of people." Cagalli replied.

"Should we try to find him?" Fllay asked.

"No, we need to discuss things as a group first. It's his move now." Cagalli answered.

"Discuss what?" Stellar asked.

"Well, a fellow gang member is pregnant with our rival's member's baby. She has just gotten out of an Institution, and we need to figure out how to deal with the baby. She will not get an abortion, but we still need to find out what Shinn's intentions and plans are, as well as a course of action concerning what happens after the birth."

"Right, Shinn and I need to talk. I'm not sure which option, whether giving it up for adoption or keeping it, would be better. If I give it up for adoption, that means I will still most likely participate in the gang. If I keep it, I won't be fighting Bloodlust anymore. Before I decide, I need to know what Shinn wants to do." Luna said.

"And who knows what will happen nine months from now. We don't even know what will happen tonight!" Meyrin said.

"That's true, we don't know how this war will turn out, but if we have an idea of what we want to do concerning the child and parents, we won't be going in blind. The plans may change, but we still need to decide." Cagalli responded.

"What else is there to discuss? Shinn and Luna must make this decision on their own, and whatever they decide will help us decide how to react." Lacus replied.

"Relationships as a whole. I believe Operation: Heartbreak is too dangerous now, and sincerely think the boys had their own love operation in the makings. I know that some of you girls like some of those boys." Cagalli told her.

"We won't know how dangerous it could be until Kira makes a move. But you have a point." Mey replied.

"Alright, show of hands who's in love with Kira." Cagalli said. The girls looked at her oddly. "Let's go, Lacus, Fllay, hands up!"

Lacus raised her hand and Fllay raised hers. None of the other girls did.

"I personally hate Kira, does that count?" Mey asked.

"No. Now for Shinn." Cagalli said.

Stellar and Luna raised their hands.

"Yzak?"

"That annoying prick? Ugh." Shiho commented.

No hands.

"Dearka?"

Milly raised her hand.

"Nicol?"

"He's nice but…" Mey said and shrugged, keeping her hand down.

"Rey?"

No hands.

Cagalli sighed and uttered the last name. "Athrun." and raised her hand.

Cagalli, Lacus, Fllay, Luna, Milly, and Stellar had their hands raised.

"Alright, now who actually thinks they have a chance with their interest?" Cagalli said and kept her hand raised.

Stellar glanced at Luna and lowered her hand. Fllay did the same. Lacus, Luna, and Milly still had their hands raised.

"Okay, Lacus, Luna, Milly and I will work Kira, Shinn, Dearka, and Athrun. Everyone else is off the hook as far as Operation: Heartbreak goes. But I'm warning you, no falling in love with anyone else! I'm only hoping that love can end this war, because hate already rules it." Cagalli told them.

"Sounds like a plan." Luna said. The others nodded.

"I'm surprised you actually admitted your feelings for Athrun, Cags." Fllay said and smirked.

Cagalli blushed. "Well we're all done pretending here. I'm sure the boys would be doing the same thing."

"I highly doubt they'd be taking a tally of who loves who, especially by raising their hands." Meyrin said and laughed. They all started laughing, realizing the silliness of what they just did.

* * *

"There, we yelled at each other and I got to hit you. We're even again." Kira said as he sat down on his bed.

After explaining the plan with the others, Mwu informed him of the latest job he had. His shop had a shipment of special (and illegal) equipment being brought in by the black market and it needed to be guarded as it was transferred over since the police are tracking it. Kira figured this equipment was actually for Bloodlust anyway, so agreed to set up a team. Since it was late they headed back to base, but Kira made it clear that the hunt for the spyware would start the next day. He wasn't going to bother destroying the equipment at the Pokitknives base, he was just concerned about finding what they installed. He had dragged Shinn into his room and ordered no one to listen in.

Shinn leaned against the wall. "I didn't get to hit you though. That's not fair." He said and rubbed his arm.

"You don't get to hit me, I'm the Godfather, remember?"

"And I'm your slave, or pet, whatever I am to you." Shinn grumbled.

"You're not a slave. You're a friend…with benefits." Kira said with a smile.

"I still think you're a jerk."

"Why are you still angry with me?" Kira asked softly, confusion and sadness in his eyes. Shinn wouldn't look at him.

"Because I was there the whole time Kira. I was the first one by your side after the attack, and I stayed by your side until you woke up and ordered me out. It just hurts that the first thing you said was how you needed to punish me. Then you ask if I went to see Luna. You're so heartless."

Kira's expression turned saddened.

"And don't even say it was because you needed to look strong. Everyone already knows, there's no point in hiding it."

"I'm sorry Shinn." Kira whispered.

Shinn looked up, shocked. A tear was falling down his cheek and he wiped it away.

"It doesn't matter. This…it's over. We've yelled at each other, like you said. Luna's…pregnant." He said.

"I don't want us to be over."

"I don't want to keep fighting with you."

"Then don't."

"Stop pushing me."

They glowered at each other, and then Kira sighed and fell backwards on the bed. "You give me a headache."

"Same here."

"Just get over here and hug me you brat." Kira said teasingly.

Shinn glared at him but walked over to the bed. "You really do need to rest." He said.

Kira looked at him and opened his arms. Shinn sighed and knelt on the bed, hugging Kira back. Kira pulled him down on top of him and chuckled. Shinn glared at him more and Kira grinned, closing his eyes.

"You're such a goofball."

"I'm tired of being a jackass."

"Good, I was getting sick of it."

They laughed and Shinn snuggled closer.

"I'm serious though, Luna-," Shinn began.

"Luna is pregnant. I know. But right now she's in the Mental Institution, so I have you until she's either released or otherwise." Kira cut him off.

"Are you still mad at her, for what she did to me? She didn't mean it. She told me. You never heard what happened when I went to see her." Shinn said.

"Oh right, I didn't. Tell me…if you want." Kira replied.

"She said she was sorry, she seemed fine really. We were talking about what to do with the baby, but we didn't know how you and Cagalli would react. She asked what the damage was and flipped out when I told her, saying she'd never forgive herself. I told her I loved her, and she said she loved me, but she…couldn't stop crying…" he explained as tears started to roll down his cheeks.

"I had to leave because…the doctors said she was unstable. Her father was there as well. I didn't want to leave her though." He said as he continued to cry.

"I'm sorry it happened that way, but if you want to see her again, I won't stop you. I realize now that you and her are connected with that child that's growing inside of her. You two need to decide what to do, and I won't interfere." Kira told him.

"Thanks Kira." He said between sobs.

Kira held him closer and closed his eyes, listening to Shinn's sobs as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The next day dawned with worry and surprise.

Murrue Ramius strode towards Police Chief Hawke's office. After her conversation with Gilbert, she knew what she had to do. This was what her work was for. Ever since she learned of the gangs in ORB, she's wanted to get involved. She had her eye on The Reapers for so long, she was surprised she was now one of them.

She entered the office and put her badge and gun on his desk. He looked up from paperwork with a confused and angry expression.

"What nonsense are you up to now, Detective Ramius?" he asked.

"I'm resigning my post. I no longer wish to be a detective, and I no longer wish to be involved in police work." She stated.

"So they've gotten to you too?" he asked.

"I don't know what you mean. I simply wish to resign, because dealing with gangs has become bothersome. No one can ever figure out the truth because they cover everything up." She told him.

"You were so good, despite being annoying. I suppose if there's no way to change your mind, I'll start the paperwork." He replied.

"Thank you sir, it has been a pleasure working for you."

"Same."

She walked out, glad she was finally free from that madman. She was meeting with all members of The Reapers to introduce her to the Law Keepers. The only regret she had was that now she would have to deal with Mwu a lot more.

* * *

"She joined? Really?" Mwu asked Gilbert.

"Yes, I'm surprised as well, but I don't foresee her causing problems. She genuinely wants to help our cause. Since she couldn't help by being a detective, she decided to join our ranks." Gilbert replied.

"Well I don't have a problem with that. Maybe we need a chick." Andy said.

"Oh yeah." Mwu said and grinned.

"Don't even think about it, Flaga." Murrue said as she entered the warehouse.

"Well since you two have already met, may I introduce you to Andrew Waltfeld? As you know Rau has been taken out, so Mwu is the only original member." Gilbert said.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Murrue Ramius." She said and shook Andy's hand.

"So whose side are you on?" he asked.

"Pardon me?" she asked.

"Well, Mwu favors Bloodlust, I favor Pokitknives, and Gil here is neutral. Rau just wanted to mess around." Andy said.

"I don't have a favorite right now. I've met most of the Bloodlust members and don't quite trust Kira, although I feel sorry for Shinn. I've yet to encounter any Pokitknives." She replied.

"Well, this is certainly news. I relayed to Kira our thoughts and warnings last night. He came to me asking what his next move should be." Mwu said.

"Hopefully he's decided not to attack. It would be a shame if they destroyed each other more." Gil stated.

"I agree. The girls are mainly defending themselves right now." Andy said.

"Well he doesn't want to attack, nor call a truce. He plans to talk it out, actually. I'm proud of him." Mwu told them.

"Gilbert has yet to inform me of the recent events, but they sound major, what happened?" Murrue asked.

"Oh, Cagalli got revenge. She pushed Kira into the ocean and a shark attacked him. He was out for half a day and has just awoken, so everyone has been waiting to see what his recourse of action would be." Mwu explained.

"Oh my goodness, he must have barely been scraped."

"No, it tore his leg up pretty good." Mwu said.

"Then how did he heal so fast?" she asked.

"Ultimate Coordinator. That's what this fight is all about." Gilbert replied.

"They're just following in their parent's footsteps, although it's evolved into something more than genetics." Andy added.

"So that's what you meant, by saying someone was already punished. Well, it must be a good thing he decided against attacking, right?" Murrue said.

"Correct, we would have had to step in if things got too far. Mwu told Kira to keep gang-related activities away from the beach and to take it easy. We've been monitoring the situation closer than normal due to what happened between Luna and Shinn and your involvement." Gilbert informed her.

"I understand. Is there anything I can do?" she asked.

The three men glanced at each other.

"How about a first mission to test your worth?" Mwu asked with a grin.

Murrue narrowed her eyes at him but nodded. "Alright then."

"I'm having the boys guard a shipment coming into my shop. It's from the black market and highly valuable. Your police friends have been tracking it, and we need them to lose the trail." He said.

"I know the shipment you're talking about. I can get them off the trail." She said.

"We'd also like you to oversee the boys, make sure they don't get into trouble and let them know the shipment is theirs to take. That should make a good introduction for you as officially one of The Reapers. I know they'll be shocked." Andy added.

She chuckled. "Oh I'm sure. Alright, I can do that for you." She said.

"And remember Murrue, you are now one of us. No tipping off any police, and don't help them either. We'll find you a new job if you would like." Gilbert told her.

"I understand, I promise I'm no spy or threat." She replied.

They nodded and then relayed more details about the shipment.

* * *

**-Author's Note: I think I tied up the last of the loose ends, and now we have a new set! And yes, the epic battle between Kira and Shinn is now over. I still laugh at their argument, but really they just needed to vent at each other, now that they've done that, I don't foresee any more arguing. The next chapter should be fun and interesting, so stay tuned! Hopefully I won't wait too long to post. Please review and tell me what you think, questions, comments, etc. are accepted. Peace!-**


	35. A Whole Lot of Talking About Nothing

**Chapter 35: A Whole Lot of Talking About Nothing**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own any characters or anything related to Gundam Seed/Destiny.**

* * *

Luna looked at her cell phone. She was looking through her contacts and found Shinn, and was staring at his picture. She hesitated in pressing the call button. She wanted to speak with him, hear his voice, and knew they had to discuss the baby. However, she was afraid. She didn't like how she acted the last time he saw her. She thought he would hate her or want nothing to do with her now. She was still trying to convince herself that she wasn't dreaming, and wondered whether she would have to convince Shinn as well.

Cagalli wanted her to call Shinn and tell him the news that she had been released. She wanted them to discuss the baby quickly before Kira reacted. Nobody knew what the Bloodlust Godfather was planning, so time was of the essence.

She sighed while pressing the button and waited.

* * *

_Buzz!_

_Buzz!_

"What the hell? Oh, it's my phone." Shinn said as he was startled awake. He sat up and looked around, reaching for the vibrating phone in his front pocket. He had fallen asleep on Kira in his bed. Kira twitched and repositioned himself as Shinn got up.

He finally got his cell phone out and almost dropped it as he saw the caller. He answered it quickly. "Luna?" he breathed, unable to believe what he saw.

"_Yes, it's me Shinn."_ Luna replied.

"What...how are you calling me?" he asked.

"_Well, I was released from the Insane Asylum. The doctors said I was back to normal and that I was just suffering from the trauma of the events. They said it was normal for someone to react the way I did. Well, not to go out and attack someone, but to lose my mind like I did. But…I'm fine now."_ She explained.

"Oh, well, great! When did you get out?" he asked. He glanced at Kira who was still sleeping and peeked out of the room. No one else seemed to be up, so he tiptoed to his own room.

"_Last night. Cagalli picked me up. Listen, can we talk? Face-to-face? I promise nothing bad will happen, at least not that I know of. This isn't a trap or anything, but I really think we should discuss the baby."_ She asked.

"Oh, sure yeah. Let me get cleaned up and stuff. Where do you want to meet?" he replied.

"_Well, what would be best for you?"_ she asked.

He thought about a place to go and glanced at the clock. It was almost the afternoon. "We could have lunch somewhere, unless you already ate or something." He suggested.

"_Sounds great, where?"_ she asked.

"Uh, Scarlet Café? Sound good?" he asked as he gathered some clothes.

"_Sounds good."_

"Alright, I'll meet you there in about thirty minutes."

"_Okay, see you then."_

"Bye."

They hung up and he went into his bathroom to take a shower. When he was done getting ready he glanced in Kira's room and saw he was still sleeping. Not wanting to wake him, he simply wrote a note and left it on his desk before leaving.

He drove his motorcycle to the restaurant and walked inside, glancing around for the maroon-haired girl. He spotted her instantly and beamed, walking over to the table.

"Hey." He said as he sat down.

"Hey." She replied and smiled.

"So uh…I'm glad you're back to normal." He said.

"Me too. I'm really sorry about how I reacted. I didn't mean to scare you or anything." She said with a worried look on her face.

"Oh, I understand. Don't worry about it Luna. If there's anything I can do, let me know." He replied.

She nodded. The waitress came over and took their drink orders.

"So, about the baby. I'm not sure about your thoughts right now." She said.

Shinn blinked. "Well, it's up to you. Whatever you want to do I'll support."

"Oh. Well, I was wondering whether we should keep it or give it up for adoption." She told him.

"What does Cagalli think?"

"She said we'd discuss it as a group once we decide what we want to do. What about Kira?"

"He said he won't interfere, he said we need to decide, so I think he'll be fine with whatever we choose."

"Good. Nobody knows what will happen nine months from now, so it's hard to really decide anything. I'm just not sure what to do." She confessed.

The waitress came back and they ordered their entrees, continuing their conversation after she left.

"I know. I guess we should start by seeing how we feel about each other." He replied.

"Well, I love you, and I never want to hurt you again." she told him.

He looked surprised and smiled. "I feel the same way."

"However…you have a relationship with Kira."

He froze.

"Lacus…told us. I just want to know how you feel about him. I don't want him to get in the way of our relationship."

"Um, well. I don't really know Luna. But I know I love you, and if you want me to stay away from him I will." He said.

"It's just, I'd feel weird if you kept seeing him that way. I was hoping we could raise this baby together, but we can't if you're still involved with him." She replied.

"Then we'll call it quits. He knew this would happen anyway. I just want you to be happy. If you want to keep the baby, I'm fine with that." He told her.

She smiled. "Alright, but, are you sure he'll be okay with this? Maybe we should all talk."

Shinn hesitated. He wasn't sure what exactly Kira would say, and he didn't know if Luna and Kira being in the same room together would be a good thing or not.

"I'm not sure about that. I'd have to talk with him first." He finally replied.

"Okay, but do you think we can raise a baby? I mean, is that a good idea?" she asked.

"I think it would be hard to give it up for adoption, especially after caring for it for nine months. I mean, I'm sure we can handle it, we have help if we need it. I just wouldn't like my kid to grow up in someone else's house." He told her.

"I feel the same way, and the girls already said they'd help. So I guess we're going to keep it then." She said and smiled.

He smiled back and they held hands across the table. The waitress appeared with their food and had a small smile on her lips as she saw the two.

"Will you stay in Pokitknives? What will we do once it's born?" he asked.

"I guess it depends on how this war goes. I don't think I'll be in Pokitknives while I'm raising a child, but if I have to stay I will. Hopefully it won't have to come to that, because I don't want to raise our child in that type of environment." She told him.

"Same with me. I might quit or something if I have to. Should we get a place together?" he asked again. His mind was racing about all the things they would need or have to do once the baby was born.

"We probably should. Since we live at our bases, we wouldn't be able to raise the baby properly. But when should we get a place? And should we get an apartment or a house?" she replied.

"I guess that also depends on the gangs and how things go. We'd have to save up some money. I think we need to discuss this with our Leaders. A lot depends on their cooperation."

"I agree. But it's set then? We're keeping the baby?"

"Yes, we're definitely keeping the baby."

* * *

Kira groaned and stretched as he woke up. He sat up and noticed that Shinn was gone, and there was a note on his desk.

_Gone to talk with Luna. She's out of the Mental Institution. We're going to talk about the baby. Hope you don't mind._

_Shinn_

Kira scowled but then sighed. "I guess I have to let him go now anyway. Oh well, I have business to take care of myself." He said to himself and got ready for the day. After showering and making himself presentable, he went outside and glanced around. He took the ladder up to the roof and noticed a small black device centered on the top.

"Well, well, well. That explains a lot." He said as he snatched it up. He quickly disabled it and then scanned the nearby buildings. "She had to have put more up."

Something glinted in the sun, coming from the building directly opposite of the base. He narrowed his eyes and took out the binoculars he grabbed before coming outside. He peered through and saw a camera pointing towards the base.

"Gotcha." He said. He went back down and quickly crossed the street, climbing the stairs on the side of the building and taking the camera down. He climbed back down and then scouted the area for more cameras. He spotted another one on the building next to the base and headed over.

"These are a lot of cameras Cagalli, you sure wanted to keep your eye on me didn't you?" he said and chuckled.

After taking the other camera down he examined the area again, checking other buildings close to the base. "It looks like we need to invest in security cameras, since they managed to set these up without anyone seeing. They're expensive though, thankfully Mwu has this job for us." He continued talking to himself.

He didn't spot any other cameras so went back inside, but decided to have Nicol ask if there were any more when he went to speak with Lacus.

He walked around the base and saw that most everyone was up, so he called them all to the living room.

"Alright, I'm setting up a team to guard Mwu's shipment. Athrun, you head it off. Rey, be the spotter. Yzak, if I can trust you, you can go as well. Shinn is out on business, Nicol is going to meet up with Lacus, so Dearka stays here with me. Any questions?" he told them.

"I promise not to be a troublemaker…as long as Athrun doesn't get a big head about being leader." Yzak commented.

Athrun rolled his eyes and Kira nodded.

"Good, because if you start your 'I should be leader' crap again, I will beat the shit out of you."

Yzak blinked but nodded.

"Where did Shinn go?" Dearka asked.

"I told you, he's out on business."

"What kind of business?" Dearka asked again. "Oh come on Kira, is it a secret? How come he gets the secret missions and I don't!"

Kira sighed. "He's talking with Luna. Apparently she's out and they need to discuss some things. It's not my place to say, so you can ask him when he gets back."

"Oh really? Wow…" Dearka said. He glanced at Yzak and they shared a look.

"Anyway, what time do you want us to head out?" Athrun asked.

"Mwu said it will come in around five, so head out around four-thirty. And look out for any surprises. He said the cops were tracking it." Kira replied.

"Alright. What about the spyware?" Athrun asked.

"I already took care of it." Kira answered.

"Really now?" Athrun asked with a surprised expression.

"The first thing I did when I woke up. They had this on the roof; it's a sound sweep, and also radar so they can see us walking around in here." Kira replied and held up the sweep. "They also had two cameras watching the outside, one on the building across the street and the other one right next door. I'm not sure if there are any more, so Nicol you should probably ask Lacus."

"I'll ask, but I'm not sure I'll get an answer." Nicol said.

"Then make sure. I still don't feel safe discussing this stuff. If we have to we'll head over to their base and disable everything there."

"I doubt they'll just let us walk in and disable their stuff. When we managed to sneak inside and insert our own cameras it was a miracle in itself, and now they're definitely making sure we don't get near the base without them knowing." Dearka replied.

"It'll be something to discuss at the meeting, then." Kira said.

"So let me get this straight. You're sending Nicol, a known traitor, to talk with Lacus, who he's been sharing secrets with and working against you with? They're gonna chat about what to do next and about how the girls have been spying on us? Seriously?" Yzak asked.

"I'll be monitoring the conversation with a headset. Nicol will have a microphone and earpiece and so will I so I know what they're saying and can direct the conversation." Kira told him.

"That sounds…smart. Are you sure you don't want anyone around in case they try anything?" Yzak asked.

"I doubt they will. Go ahead and call Lacus." Kira said to Nicol. He nodded and got out his cell phone. "Rey before you head out for the job I want you to look at these and find out when they were installed and what all they caught, alright?"

"Yeah boss." Rey replied and took the spyware. While all of the guys were technology savvy, with Kira and Athrun being very good at robotics and machinery, Rey was the resident spy techy. He specialized in cameras and spy equipment while Athrun and Kira specialized in weapons and machinery.

"Also guys, we need to get security cameras. I'm sick of them trying to spy on us. Once the job is finished we're getting cameras of our own." Kira announced.

"Good, then maybe we could leave the base alone for the bigger missions and such." Dearka said.

"Last night was the only time I felt safe enough to have no one at the base, just because I know Cagalli is waiting on my next move. Even with the security cameras I don't think we'll leave the base unguarded." Kira told them.

Dearka pouted. "Yeah but it gets boring stuck here all day!" he whined.

Kira gave him a level stare.

"He has a point…" Yzak replied, backing his friend up.

Kira raised an eyebrow.

"I guess we'll just see what happens at the meeting, if Cagalli poses no threat of launching an attack I'm sure the base will be fine with no one here, as long as we have cameras." Athrun spoke up.

"Then who will monitor the cameras?" Kira asked.

"We can get the system that alerts us by phone of an intrusion or alarm." Athrun replied.

Kira smirked. "Then you get to look for it and set it all up."

"Uh, sure…I can do that."

"Lacus will meet me at Rockstar Bar tonight. She guaranteed that none of the girls will be there and I guaranteed only I will be there." Nicol told Kira when he hung up with Lacus.

"Alright, fine. I guess you get to continue the conversation you had with her yesterday then." Kira said.

Nicol looked shocked for a moment. "How did you know?" he asked.

"I put a GPS in your car to monitor where you go. I noticed you were at the beach and figured you were talking with Lacus. Actually, I was wondering why you were there at all, but I guess my fishing caught you." Kira said and grinned.

Yzak started laughing at Nicol's horrified face and Dearka shuddered.

"You're so evil Kira!" he said.

"That…was unexpected. You were seriously just pretending to be passed out so you could listen to our conversations, weren't you?" Athrun asked.

"No, I was pretty out of it, but I know my gang. Now I want everyone to be productive today, we have a lot to do." Kira answered.

Rey was already working on the cameras so Yzak started getting ready for the job and Athrun went to check into security systems. Nicol shook himself out of his thoughts and told Kira more details about the meeting while Dearka sat down with a bored expression.

"She expressed that Cagalli isn't planning anything, and Cagalli agreed to this meeting. We'll meet when the bar opens around eight o' clock. I didn't tell her you'd be listening in though since I didn't think you'd want them to know. I realize it's not because you don't trust me and just want to know what's being said, but I want you to know that you _can_ trust me. I'm really not trying to betray you or Bloodlust, but from my experiences with The Fallen, I feel it's better to make peace. The Reapers taught me that lesson." Nicol explained.

"I know Nicol. I just don't like it when my members go behind my back." Kira replied.

Nicol nodded. "What all do you want me to discuss?" he asked.

"I want you to make it clear that Cagalli's actions, albeit for revenge, angered me and were out of line. However, let her know the slate is cleared. Tell her I will allow Shinn and Luna to discuss the baby and such. Tell her the warning we received from Mwu and The Reapers, and let her know that we cannot afford to have them step in. I'm sure she already heard from Andy, based on what Mwu said last night, but I want her to be clear. Also ask about the cameras, tell her I want them disabled and we can make a truce that neither of us will spy on the other. Also a truce as far as Shinn and Luna are concerned. But the war isn't over. And I'm still pissed." Kira explained.

"I'll be reminding you of this and if anything else comes up I'll know and be able to direct you in the right way. But no giving away secrets and don't tell them about the job or anything else."

"Okay, I understand." Nicol replied. He went to help Athrun search for security cameras since the meeting would be later on tonight.

"Dearka, what are you doing?" Kira asked as he noticed the man sitting there.

"I have nothing to do since I'm just guarding the base tonight." He answered.

"Then make something to do. Go out and search for more cameras or anything they could use to spy on us. Make sure the base is secure and go through the artillery. Keep stock of what we have on base and anything coming in. And look for any more jobs being offered." Kira told him.

"Yes sir." Dearka replied and jumped up.

Kira went to find Rey and asked him what he had found out so far.

"Well it looks like they just installed it two days ago. The feed is definitely going to their base. They've been running nonstop, but I can go through the footage to see what they saw." Rey replied.

"Wow, has it only been two days? Go ahead and check, I want to know what all they had access to. What about the sweep?" Kira said.

"You were right; it can send sound and radar to their surveillance at the base. They had a location on each one of us in the base and could hear us talking form any room. I can go through that as well to see what all they heard." Rey answered.

"Good. A lot has happened in just two days, so they most likely got a lot of information. Hopefully there's nothing else they set up. I had Dearka check more around so see if he finds anything later on." Kira told him.

"I'm on it."

Kira went in search of Yzak next. "Hey, you remember they have a new girl in Pokitknives?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, she was there when me and Rey went scouting too." Yzak replied.

"I want you to check into her." Kira said.

"Already tried, found nothing. I got a good look at her though…nothing special." He said and shrugged.

"Not even a name?" Kira asked.

"Nope. I even tried searching for a picture, but I guess she's good at what she does." Yzak told him.

Kira narrowed his eyes. "We need to know more about her."

"Tch, there's not much to know. What's another slut?"

"They have us outnumbered. Besides, I've never seen her before and want to know why she joined them."

"Well, you can ask Cagalli, or have Nicol ask during the little meeting." Yzak replied with a sarcastic edge to his voice.

Kira's smirk returned. "Actually, I think I have a solo mission for you, Yzak." He said in a velvety smooth voice.

Yzak glanced at him with a wary and suspicious look. "What kind of solo mission?"

"It will be your sole purpose to find out as much as you can about her. I don't care how, just get me some information." Kira told him.

"Why do I have to do it? Get Dearka, I'm sure he'll love to sniff around a new skank!" he exclaimed.

"Because Dearka would just fall in love with her. I know you have a rather…dismal disposition on women so I'm sure I won't have to worry about anything happening between the two of you." Kira replied.

"Damn right nothing will happen. Fine, I'll find out what I can." Yzak grumbled.

Kira chuckled and left, going into the kitchen to find something to eat.

"You're just now eating?" Shinn asked.

"Oh, you're back." Kira said when he saw the boy.

"Yeah. We need to talk though." He replied.

Kira knew the look in Shinn's eyes, and he didn't like it. He knew what was coming, but didn't want it to happen.

"Well, how did it go?" he asked and took a bite out of an apple.

"We're keeping the baby, once it's born. We're thinking of quitting the gangs and getting a place of our own, but I need to talk with you about it and she needs to speak with Cagalli." Shinn replied.

Kira swallowed and then took another quick bite while nodding.

"You can't stall forever. The quicker we can figure this out, the better both of us will feel." Shinn told him.

"We have plenty of time. I don't think you have any other plans and neither do I. We can talk when the guys leave for the job." Kira said and continued eating the apple.

"Why can't we talk now?"

"Because…it's not something I want to discuss while everyone is here."

Shinn opened his mouth to say something and then closed it, sighing and turning away.

"What? It's a legitimate reason!" Kira called.

"What's a legitimate reason?" Athrun asked as he came into the kitchen.

"Stalling a conversation with Shinn because I don't want anyone to eavesdrop." Kira mumbled and took the last bite of his apple.

"Yeah, I definitely don't want to be around whenever you to 'talk'." Athrun replied.

"He says he wants to keep the baby and raise a family with Luna. I know exactly what he wants to talk about…but I'd rather wait."

"Kira…"

"I know Athrun. I'm being immature. I just…don't want to lose him."

"What about Lacus?"

Kira looked at him and shrugged.

"Well, before the whole Luna and Shinn thing you were all over her…I figured you would want to have her in your life just like Shinn wants Luna."

"I want them both. I don't know, we haven't talked since that date, which was technically for Operation: Lust, but still. I don't think she likes me anymore." Kira confessed.

"Why?" Athrun asked.

"Because of what I did to Luna. Plus they probably all know about me and Shinn. I just don't think she's interested anymore."

"It doesn't hurt to ask."

Kira gave him an odd look. "Are you turning into Nicol now? We're in the middle of a war! A mission is one thing, but that mission is over and allowing Shinn and Luna to be together is a nightmare in itself. I can't pursue a relationship with Lacus right now. I just can't."

"Maybe you should. It might help things. I know they're the enemy, but what are we really fighting for now-a-days?" Athrun asked.

Kira narrowed his eyes. "Alright Zala, what are you scheming? Has Nicol converted you over to his side?"

Athrun chuckled. "No, I'm not scheming anything. But we had our theories about them having the same mission as us. If they continue with it, I think we should too. Besides, it would get your mind off Shinn." He said.

Kira scowled at him. "Was there something _important_ you wanted to tell me?" he asked.

Athrun held back a chuckle. "I found a pretty good system. It has cameras and is actually for businesses, so they have a good deal. They can install a system that will alert us to intruders from a range we can set and it will alert us of any alarms on our phones and can also e-mail us alerts. We set the password and they monitor for any false alarms or such and they also install the TVs and computers." He told him.

"Don't those kind of systems alert the cops as well?" Kira asked.

"Um, yes, but this system is Black Market approved. Which means it only alerts us." Athrun said.

"They have a system from the black market? For businesses? For _gangs_?" Kira asked incredulously.

"Yep." Athrun nodded.

"Well, set it up then, if it's affordable." Kira replied.

"Will do boss." Athrun said. "But seriously, think about what I said." He added and then ducked out of the way as Kira threw the apple core at him.

"Woah…what's the with food fight?" Nicol asked as he peeked around the corner.

"Athrun is being nosy." Kira replied and threw the apple core away.

"Okay then." Nicol said and decided not to ask.

* * *

"I still don't understand why he wants you two to meet." Cagalli said.

"At least he isn't going to attack." Lacus replied.

"It might be a trap."

"I don't think so. I think he genuinely wants to talk…but doesn't want to see you."

"Well, you're not going out without a microphone and earpiece, so I know what's going on. The rest of us will stay here in case they try an attack." Cagalli told her.

"Alright. What do you think he'll talk about?"

"Probably about the shark attack. I really didn't mean for it to happen, but I left it open just like he did with Luna. I feel it was justified though since Luna ended up in a Mental Institution after attacking her own boyfriend because of him." Cagalli replied.

"Yeah, I'd say we're even. Everyone got hurt that was involved, not that they really deserved it, but it was even throughout." Lacus said.

"I know you still like him, but it was something I had to do."

"I know Cagalli. Besides, I think we might be over…not that anything really began in the first place." Lacus said and sighed.

"Why do you think that?"

"Well, he's changed. I'm not sure if he even feels the same way about me. Plus, that whole thing with Shinn…I just don't think he's interested anymore."

"He better be. Luna and Shinn are having a baby whether he likes it or not, and he needs to deal with it. I think you should try harder with him. If we can get him off of Shinn, it will be easier for Luna." Cagalli suggested.

"I suppose. We'll see after the meeting." Lacus replied.

"Hey I'm back." Luna said as she entered the base.

"Oh hey, how'd it go?" Cagalli asked.

"Good. We decided we want to keep the baby, but we're thinking we may leave the gangs and get a place on our own. What do you think about that?" Luna asked.

"Should I leave?" Lacus asked.

"No, you can stay and help us brainstorm. While we currently outnumber them, it's only by one girl, and I really don't want you to quit. However, I can understand why if you plan on raising the child with Shinn. We don't know what will happen in nine months, so we can decide when you want to quit and get your own place then. Meanwhile we can start saving up for a place for you two and baby supplies." Cagalli told her.

"That makes sense. So you'd be okay if I left? I can't raise a baby here, it's too dangerous and I don't want it in this environment."

"That's perfectly understandable. Depending on the circumstances, but I won't force you to stay while you have a baby. I'm sure Kira may think differently, did Shinn say anything?"

"He said Kira is fine with whatever we decide, he won't interfere again. Hopefully he keeps to his word. Shinn still wants to talk to him though about things." Luna replied.

"That's what Lacus and I were just talking about. We figure if he gets back involved with Lacus then he'll leave Shinn alone and you two won't have to worry." Cagalli told her.

"Really? Yeah that would help. But I still think it's too dangerous to be around him. Especially after you shoved him in the ocean and he was attacked by that shark." Luna said.

"It will be dangerous, but we'll know more about how he feels after the meeting. Hopefully he feels the same way as us as far as the slate is clean." Lacus replied.

"Yeah, and hopefully he won't hassle Shinn about the baby and leaving." Luna said.

"I hate not knowing. But he hasn't attacked yet and he set up this meeting, so maybe he'll actually call a truce or something." Cagalli confessed.

"I don't think so, but he may agree that we're even now, since he didn't attack. I just don't think he's ready to give up yet." Lacus said.

"I think he's just begun." Luna commented.

They sat in silence for a moment as they contemplated Kira's thoughts and feelings.

"What about your father? Will you tell him?" Cagalli asked Luna.

The girl sighed. "I don't know. I guess I should, and he'll know I was released. But he'll be angry. He wants me to have an abortion."

"You just have to stand up to him. Who knows, maybe he'll help since he's your father. He wants the best for you, even if he's going about it the wrong way." Cagalli said.

"I guess. I'll stall though. We'll see what Kira says and how things go, and then I'll call dad." Luna said.

"What will you call him?" Meyrin asked as she came in.

Luna smiled. "I'll be nice so he won't be such a jerk. Shinn and I want to keep the baby and raise it outside of gang involvement." She told her sister.

"Really? He's manning up to this?" she asked.

"Of course. We love each other." Luna told her.

"Isn't he with Kira though too?" Mey asked.

"Not for much longer. We have a plan." Cagalli said.

"Well good, let's hear it."

"Lacus." Cagalli said.

Meyrin chuckled. "She's the secret weapon? Great." The girls laughed.

"Let me know what Kira says to Shinn, okay Luna?" Cagalli said.

"Alright, I will. He said he'd call whenever he talked with Kira." Luna replied.

"Hopefully he won't make a fuss or anything." Cagalli says.

"Who knows." Luna said.

"Hey Cagalli, Kira found the cameras and has disabled them." Shiho said.

"Damn it!"

* * *

**-Author's Note: They keep getting longer…but nothing happens! Hahaha but seriously, I've added tons of foreshadowing. If you squint you might be able to see it in the last chapter as well. I'm on a roll! Please review and tell me what you think, questions, comments, etc. are allowed. Flames…will be dealt with severely…since there's no reason for them. Peace out!-**


	36. Chapter 36: Secret Weapons

**Chapter 36: Secret Weapons**

**Disclaimer: No ownage. The characters belong to the creators of Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny.**

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* * *

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_"Hey Cagalli, Kira found the cameras and has disabled them." Shiho said._

_"Damn it!"_

"Well there goes that." Meyrin muttered.

"Cameras?" Luna asked with a confused expression.

"We installed cameras two days ago to gain the upper hand and monitor them. He found everything?" Cagalli replied and followed Shiho into the spy room. Luna, Lacus, and Meyrin were close behind them. Fllay, Stellar, and Milly saw them and joined, wondering what was going on now.

"Are they making a move?" Fllay asked.

"Kira already did. He found all our spyware and disabled everything. We're blind again." Shiho explained.

"Shit! We had the advantage! He must be planning something big, that monster will destroy us all!" Milly yelled.

"Milly please, calm down, he's set up a meeting to talk things out, he won't attack. Nicol told me." Lacus said.

"It could be a trap! Everyone knows not to trust any one of those men, especially the sole survivor of The Fallen! He's already a traitor to his own gang and is somehow involved with The Reapers, he could be playing us too!" Milly replied hysterically.

"She has a point, not many people know what really went down back then. Are you sure we can trust him Lacus?" Mey asked.

"I'm sure. He survived because he wanted peace, and that's all he wants now." Lacus answered.

Cagalli sighed. "Fine, bring it up at the meeting. The spyware situation, that is. Are you sure you don't want someone nearby?"

"I'm sure Cagalli."

"Oh, Cags, I actually came to tell you something important." Meyrin spoke up.

"What?" Cagalli asked.

"I got word a shipment is coming in. The police are tracking it. Oh and get this, it's being docked at the pier Rau used, and we all know that Mwu took over Rau's shop. Either this is all a coincidence, or that shipment is meant for Bloodlust." Meyrin reported.

Cagalli's eyebrows raised and the girls looked surprised, yet a steady look of triumph beamed within their eyes.

"Shiho, Meyrin, you're coming with me. When will it dock?" Cagalli said.

"Five o' clock."

* * *

"Alright, it's time to lock and load." Athrun called as the clock struck four-thirty. Yzak and Rey grabbed their gear and hopped in Yzak's truck. Athrun nodded to Kira as they passed each other.

"Everything looks clear, I didn't find any more cameras, the stock has been checked and we're all good there. I didn't see too many jobs being offered though." Dearka said as he reported back to Kira.

"Fine, take over for Rey and keep digging through the cameras the girls had set up. Athrun scheduled the security cameras to be installed in a few days, so if we can figure out what all the girls knew by then I'd be a much happier Godfather." Kira replied.

"Sure boss." Dearka said with a salute and grin.

Nicol was testing the headset and writing down the various things Kira wanted him to discuss with Lacus, so it was just Shinn and Kira in the living room.

"Are you ready to discuss this?" Shinn asked.

Kira looked around and then scowled. He should have tried to stall longer, but he forgot about Shinn's conversation with Luna because he was so focused on the meeting and job.

He sighed and slouched down into his chair. "Fine." He grumbled and crossed his arms.

Shinn snorted and rubbed his face.

"So what do you think about us keeping the baby?"

* * *

"Yzak, take the left side. Rey, up top. Stay out of sight." Athrun commanded quietly as they crept up to the scene.

The ship had already been unloaded and they easily spotted the shipment they were meant to guard. Yzak went around the side, his gun out but hidden as he glanced around for any people snooping about. They had been assured by Mwu that the police were chasing the wrong shipment halfway across town. They didn't bother asking why he couldn't do this himself, and were happy they would finally get to do something. And get paid, of course.

Rey climbed up the side of the building overlooking the pier and laid low, scouting the entire area.

Athrun approached slowly, scanning the shipment over. This seemed simple enough. He opened the large container and his eyes widened.

"Shiho, eyes on Yzak. Meyrin, check out Rey. I'm going after Athrun. Don't make a move unless I say. We don't want them to know we're here unless whatever is in that container could tip the scales in their balance. In that case, we'll go in and take it for our own." Cagalli ordered as they watched the boys scope out the shipment.

Shiho edged around a building, her gun out and pressed against her chest as she watched Yzak carefully. She made sure she could see Cagalli and then glanced up at Rey.

Meyrin climbed a building hidden by the one Rey was on and crouched low on the roof. She watched Rey carefully through the scope of her sniper rifle in case he saw either of the two girls on the ground. She was also on the lookout for any cops or rogues running about. The police were chasing a different shipment now, which made them all wary of what this whole thing was all about. She was glad she managed to pick up that tidbit of information.

* * *

Murrue was watching from inside a warehouse, goggles trained to her eyes. She noted where each member of the Bloodlust was, then took in the positions of the Pokitknives. She wasn't sure whether this was planned or just bad luck. Should she stop them if they try to attack each other?

No. She remembered what Mwu had told her.

_**-Flashback-**_

"_If the Pokitknives show up, don't interfere. Just alert us if they cause too much damage. I just want you to watch and take notes. Don't try to get involved except to let Bloodlust know about the shipment. However, if the Pokitknives are there, you'll have to wait until a different time. We don't want to stir the pot too much. Besides, Andy has prepared a goody bag for the girls as well to even the playing fields."_

"_So I just sit there? What if things get bad? Are you expecting the girls to show up?" she asked._

"_Well, no one ever knows what will happen. There are informants everywhere, and the grapevine runs wide. If things get bad, try to keep the police and media away and be sure to contact us. We'll work together to clean up any mess they might make. No worries though, I'm sure everything will go smoothly." Mwu replied._

_She cast him a worried and unsure look, but nodded before heading out for her first mission as a Reaper._

_**-End Flashback-**_

She would watch and wait.

* * *

Cagalli crept closer, her back against the building next to Rey's lookout point so that Mey was on one side of him and she was on the other. Shiho was further down, keeping track of Yzak's movements.

Her eyes widened and she held in a gasp as she took in what was inside the container. There was no way they were letting Bloodlust get away with that much leeway. Pokitknives would be crushed for sure!

She signaled to Shiho who nodded in acknowledgement, but Cagalli couldn't signal Mey without alerting Rey. They had foregone walkie-talkies since they made too much noise. Cagalli hoped Meyrin was paying attention.

"Oh shit." Meyrin breathed as she saw the inside of the container. She knew Cagalli would want to move in and take it, so she trained her focus on Rey. She squinted into the lens and put her finger on the trigger.

Athrun signaled to Yzak who hurried over.

"Woah." Yzak remarked as he saw the explosives and ammunitions. "Mwu sure is packing a punch with this stuff. We could use some of this."

"We could, but our orders are to take it to his shop. We aren't allowed to take any…prizes." Athrun said and gave Yzak a stern look.

"Relax, I know what we're here to do." Yzak replied with a sneer. They began unloading the equipment and Yzak took a few boxes to his truck that was parked close by.

Rey scanned the area carefully and watched as the shipment was being transferred to Yzak's truck.

Cagalli signaled again to Shiho who quickly went back to the end of the alleyway and crossed over to the other building, staying behind it and peering around the corner as Yzak went back to the container. His truck was at the front of the building. She glanced up at Rey who was looking towards Athrun and bolted for the truck. She crouched down behind it, in front of the car since it was backed in towards the shipment where Yzak was loading it up. She hoped it would provide cover from Rey.

Cagalli crossed over to another building and glanced up. She was directly underneath Rey, a tricky spot to be in since he could merely look down and to the side to see her, but she was now on the other side of Athrun and closer to Meyrin. She looked up at the girl who glanced from her to Rey and gave a signal. Cagalli took a deep breath and checked to see if Shiho was in position.

Meyrin quickly climbed down her building and went next to Cagalli. "Cover Rey. Make sure he can't shoot me." She whispered and Mey nodded.

Mey began climbing the building Rey was on.

Athrun handed another load to Yzak who carried it back to his truck. Once he disappeared behind the building Cagalli stepped forward and raised her gun.

"Not so fast Athrun."

He had just set a load down and whirled around, pointing his gun at her.

Yzak heard a noise as he set the load down in his truck bed and was about to turn around when Shiho popped up with her gun.

"Hands in the air, scumbag." She snarled.

He had put his gun in its holster in order to carry the boxes and growled, moving his hand towards the gun.

"Hands where I can see them and away from any weapons, now!" she ordered.

Rey heard Cagalli's voice and swiveled his gun in her direction, taking aim and waiting for Athrun's signal. Then he heard another girl's voice and looked over towards Yzak. "Shit!" he exclaimed and was about to swivel his gun over when he heard footsteps behind him.

"Don't move. I have the same rifle aimed at your head. You even flinch and the birds will get to pick out the inside of your skull. All the king's horses and all the king's men won't ever be able to put you back together again." she said.

He growled and glanced at her behind him, then looked down at the two scenes below.

Murrue was watching the situation closely and took her cell phone out. The Pokitknives had moved in, now she had to wait and see what would happen.

"How did you find out?" Athrun asked.

"I wouldn't tell you even if I wanted to, Athrun. Is this what Kira's been waiting for? I knew that meeting was a trap all along. You were going to attack while Lacus and Nicol were out negotiating, weren't you?" she replied heatedly.

"No. This has nothing to do with that. It's for Mwu." Athrun told her calmly.

Cagalli looked surprised. "You're lying." She said quietly. "The police were lead astray so you could pick this up. It all fits Athrun."

"The police were handled by The Reapers. We didn't even know what was in here until I opened it. What are you doing here Cagalli?" he asked. Their guns were pointed evenly at each other's hearts. Neither would miss if the trigger was pulled.

"Either way, we've come to commandeer this shipment. Just hand it over. We've got you surrounded." Cagalli announced.

"You only have two other girls; one for Yzak, one for Rey. We're even. The only advantage you have is surprise, and you've already blown that." Athrun countered.

"Don't assume anything Athrun, it may be your downfall." She said with a hard look.

He hardened his own eyes and then scanned the area, noticing Meyrin over Rey and Shiho pointing her gun at Yzak. The silver haired man had his hands held up, since he was unable to reach his gun or knife in time.

Cagalli took a step forward while he was looking around but Athrun snapped his head back around to edge towards her, the gun still pointing at her heart. He had no intention of truly killing her, and would intentionally miss if it came to blows, but he couldn't let them still this shipment. Not only would Mwu be pissed, but Kira would be furious and might be pushed to attack after all.

"Go back to your base, Cagalli. The meeting is still on for later tonight, and you can have Lacus ask after this then. Leave." He growled.

"No. I'm not letting you escape with this. Whether it's for Mwu or Bloodlust, the Pokitknives would rather be the ones taking it."

"You don't have this stuff already, Cagalli? That doesn't sound good." Athrun said and tsk'ed.

"I didn't say that. You're assuming again, Athrun. Who wouldn't want a load like this?" she replied.

"You better get that gun out of my face, wench. Who the hell are you anyway?" Yzak snapped at Shiho.

"None of your business. If you couldn't find anything about me I'm not just going to tell you, idiot." She replied in kind.

"I'm not an idiot, you are if you think you can overpower me, gun or not."

"Well aren't you the cocky one? Tough talk for a guy who's been at the end of my gun twice now."

"Tough talk for a chick who's had me at the end of her gun twice and yet I'm still alive."

Shiho growled and tightened her grip on the gun.

"Meyrin, you realize I can still shoot Cagalli or that other girl without you being able to stop me." Rey said calmly.

"You pull your trigger and I'll pull mine. Either way you'll be dead." Mey replied.

"And so will one of your friends. So which one will it be? Should I do Kira a favor and take out Cagalli, or let him settle that score himself? Maybe I should get rid of the new girl before she can do any damage." Rey continued in an even tone.

"Tch, she hasn't even done anything and already you want to kill her. You boys are asking for it now." She snarled.

He snorted. "We're not boys…little girl." He said in a derogatory tone. He smirked slightly as he knew she would get angry.

"As if! You don't even have any muscle! You probably haven't hit puberty yet!" Mey exclaimed.

Cagalli glanced up as she heard Mey yell and Athrun surged forward. Yzak glanced and saw Athrun and Rey, and so quickly snatched his switchblade and lunged towards Shiho.

Shots rang out and Mey gasped as she pressed her finger to the trigger of the rifle pointed straight at Rey's head as he whipped around with a handgun.

"Athrun and Yzak, put down your weapons or I'll shoot Rey!" she called out, unable to see what happened.

Cagalli lay on the ground with Athrun on top of her. Immediately they struggled to grab a gun, since both flew out of their hands when they hit the ground.

Shiho was holding Yzak's hands up in front of her as he tried to lower the knife and sink it into her neck or chest as he straddled her.

Murrue gasped and pressed the speed-dial button on her phone for Gilbert Durandal.

"_Yes? Did everything go okay?"_ he asked when he picked up.

"No. The Pokitknives arrived and shots have been fired. I can't tell if anyone is hurt." She said quickly.

"_Go take a better look, we're on our way. Make sure no one comes snooping around; police, media, or civilian."_ He told her.

"Understood, but what if-?" she began but he cut her off.

"_You're not a detective anymore, Murrue, if you get involved too soon things could end badly. Just keep an eye on them and don't let anyone else interfere."_

"Fine." She replied and they hung up. She hoped no one got hurt. Every fiber of her being pushed her to run out there and make sure they were all okay. After years of police work and investigating murders and crimes all across the board she couldn't just stand by and let these kids shoot each other up.

She hurried down the stairs of the building and ran between two buildings to get a better look.

Cagalli punched Athrun square in the jaw and reached for her gun. He cursed and then snatched her wrist. She went o knee him in the groin but he blocked with his leg and reached for his pocketknife with his free hand. She stopped him with her own.

"You'll stab me with the weapon my gang is named after? How cliché can you get Athrun? Now get off." She said and shoved him.

He shoved back and pinned her to the ground. "I figured it would be a nice ironic twist." He sneered. He ignored the fact that their positions were compromising, and knew he wouldn't be able to take Cagalli's life. In fact, he would almost enjoy this if all their lives weren't in danger.

Yzak's blade was getting closer to Shiho's throat. He was stronger than her. She braced herself and then kicked upwards. He grunted and she pushed him to the side and scrambled upwards. She went to grab her gun but he swiped at her arm. She recoiled just in time without getting nicked and stood in a defensive position. He stood slowly and mimicked her.

Rey went to stand but Mey began squeezing the trigger and stepped forward. "Don't you dare, stay where you are and tell your comrades to stand down!" she barked.

"I don't think they'll listen to me. Put down the gun Meyrin, you're not going to kill me." Rey said in an uncaring tone. There was a hard edge in his eyes that betrayed the emotion he hid so well in his voice.

"No. We're taking the load and there's nothing you can do to stop us. If you make a move I'll shoot you."

"But you won't kill me."

"I will if you move."

"Then you'll force my Godfather to attack. You don't want that Meyrin, he's already mad enough, killing me won't help your cause."

"If Kira was going to attack he would have done so already. It's just a coincidence that we're all here like this. That meeting is going to end in a truce."

Rey laughed. "No it won't. We have no intention of giving up so easily."

"Sure you do. Why else would he set up a meeting? To chat like old buddies?" she asked.

"If he wanted to 'chat' he'd do it face-to-face with Cagalli, not send Nicol to meet up with Lacus. Fortunately for your leader, he wishes not to see her at this time."

"I know what you're trying to imply, but Kira wouldn't kill his own sister." Mey spat.

"Look what he did to yours." Rey replied smoothly while looking her right in the eye.

Her breath hitched and tears formed in her eyes as she thought of Luna and all the trouble she had gone through.

"So your Godfather's a bastard, congratulations!" she spat.

"And yours is a coward."

"A coward wouldn't attempt to engage in a fight to take these weapons right out of your hands." She hissed.

"So she has a few brave moments. Face it, you girls thought that since you could sneak up on us that you'd have the upper hand and get your way, but we're not stupid and are prepared for any interference that may occur. You've failed, and now we're at a stalemate, but the tables can turn just as easily back to our side." He replied.

"Or ours."

"Ugh, you're dead if you don't let go, _Rosco_." Cagalli sneered back. She tried to fight back the blush. Athrun was too close to her; she could smell his cologne and feel his legs against hers. She felt uncomfortable being pinned down, but also knew she wouldn't mind if this were a different situation.

Why the hell did she have to go and fall in love with Athrun Zala?

He chuckled. "I'm glad you got a kick out of my little costume. Say, you never answered my question, why were you all dressed up?" he asked.

"I wanted to look hot for a night on the town, is that so bad?" she answered angrily. It was a lie she knew he would see right through, but it would buy her time.

"You never want to look 'hot' and never go 'out on the town'. You were waiting for me, weren't you?" he said.

"What? No! You were the one barking up my tree!" she replied and shifted her legs.

"Oh no you don't!" he said and placed his leg over hers so she couldn't move it. "Okay I admit I was there for you, but only to get information. You were dressed up. You wanted something else." The look in his eyes was full of heat, but he restrained himself from getting too far into this…whatever this was.

"Maybe I have a boyfriend, ever think of that Athrun?" she said and they both went still.

Athrun measured her face carefully, surprised at her words. He actually hadn't thought of that before. He thought she had a crush on him just like he had a crush on her.

His hesitation gave her what she wanted. _'Sorry Athrun.'_ She thought and brought her knee upwards.

He let out a cry and she quickly rolled away to grab her gun, standing and pointing it at him. She kicked the other gun away from him and he looked up at her with a defeated expression.

Yzak lunged again and Shiho sidestepped to evade, going in for a punch. He dodged and went for a kick but she blocked with her own and grabbed for his hand that held the knife. He pulled it away and shoved her with his other hand. She stumbled and he went forward again but she grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him against the brick wall of the building.

He shoved back and threw her into his truck. She cried out and he lurched forward with a punch. She blocked his next attack but was hit square in the face with his punch. He smirked.

"Oh so you enjoy hitting a girl?" she asked and used the leg she blocked with to slide in and knee him again the groin.

"Ow! You enjoy kicking a guy in the nuts?" he yelled and then swung wildly.

She ducked and punched him in the stomach.

"I do what I can." She replied.

He swept his leg around and caught her in the ribcage and she staggered to the side.

"So do I." he responded.

She caught his fist and threw her own towards him, but he caught it as well. They were at a stalemate.

"For a girl, you land some decent hits." He said in an unusual compliment.

"For a jerk…you know how to hit a person where it hurts." She returned.

He smirked and she smirked back. They jumped away from each other and began again.

Rey jerked his head around to watch the fight between Yzak and Shiho. "Looks like your girl is going down." He said in order to trick her.

She gasped and walked forward to look over the edge. Just as she realized he was lying he snatched her gun and shoved his own against her head.

"That was too easy, Meyrin. You shouldn't be fooled so easily."

"You dog! You tricked me because that's the only thing you could do to gain the upper hand in this. Now who's the coward?"

"Does it matter at this point? I've won this one." He replied.

She smirked. "And my Godfather has Athrun. That's one for one."

"Yzak will take out your new friend, and if he can't I can always help." He said and reached for his sniper rifle.

She shot her hand out and slapped his away before he could reach the gun. He moved the gun at her head but she was slipping sideways and ended up falling on top of him. The struggle for his handgun began as she pushed his sniper off the roof.

"Look out!" she called.

A shot rang out and things got eerily quiet.

Murrue gasped and moved closer, watching each separate battle closely. She saw the rifle fall from the roof and heard Meyrin's warning call. She took cover and watched as Athrun jumped forward and tackled Cagalli to the ground. She thought he would take advantage, but as she looked closer she noticed that he had actually saved her from the bullet, since it went through the container right behind her instead right after Athrun knocked her to the ground.

"Well that's unexpected." She whispered to herself.

Shiho had ducked near Yzak's truck and he had braced himself against the wall after Meyrin's call when they saw the gun fall. Now Shiho stood and looked worriedly at Cagalli, wondering if she had taken a hit.

Yzak took advantage and tackled her, grabbing his gun and pointing it at her face. She scowled up at him.

"You let your guard down. Tsk, tsk." He said, breathing heavily.

"Excuse me for being human." She replied, also breathing heavily from the fight.

He grinned. "So who the hell are you?" he asked again.

She rolled her eyes. "Shiho. That's all you're getting."

"Why don't I call you Ho for short?" he said.

"Ugh, all men are the same." She snorted in a disgusted tone.

He started laughing. "Not this one. You're certainly not shy, so calling you that wouldn't do you justice."

"So calling me a hoe is a supposed to be a compliment?" she asked.

"It's better than slut or skank like I call all the other girls." He answered.

"Well then I'll feel flattered." She said with a sneer.

He sneered back.

Cagalli was looking up at Athrun with wide and bewildered eyes. She barely knew what had just happened, and wasn't sure whether Athrun had tried to save or hurt her.

"Are you…alright?" he asked.

"Um, yeah." She replied.

"I didn't…you would have gotten hit if you just stood there…this fight is over." He told her.

She nodded.

"Meyrin! Shiho!" she called as he helped her up.

"I meant you won, Cagalli." He said before she could tell her girls to stand down in defeat.

"What? But Athrun-,"

"I saved your life Cagalli. You won the fight long before that."

She looked confused and then put her mask back on and nodded.

"Weapons." She ordered.

He handed her his knife and glanced over at his gun.

"Stay there, make a move for your gun…and I'll have to take action." She said.

He nodded. "Rey, Yzak, stand down. We're done." He called.

Yzak looked up. "What? I got her though! Didn't you have Cagalli?" he called.

"She won before Rey's gun fell. Get off the girl and let's go." Athrun replied.

Yzak scowled and slowly stood. Shiho went for the back of his truck to get the supplies but he stopped her.

"No, we're keeping this. The battle was a draw, you girls can have the rest, but this stays."

She glared but then shrugged and started backing away towards Cagalli.

Rey stood and dropped his gun and knife. Meyrin grabbed them both and pointed the gun at him as she edged towards her rifle. He didn't make a move as he watched her pick it up.

She glanced to Cagalli and then quickly back to Rey. He still didn't move.

"Meyrin, bring Rey down and grab all the weapons." Cagalli called up to her.

Shiho turned and joined Cagalli at the container.

"Start loading this up. They can keep what they already put in Yzak's truck. He's right, this was a draw." She said to Shiho.

The girl nodded and took a box.

Meyrin came down with her rifle, Rey's handgun, and the knife. Rey was being led in front with her gun at his back.

Cagalli had Meyrin put the weapons in a pile and stand the boys in a line, watching over them. They stood and glanced at each other.

Murrue breathed a sigh of relief. No one had gotten seriously injured after all.

Her cell phone buzzed and she quickly answered it while she walked farther away.

"_We saw, when the girls leave give the message to Bloodlust." _Gilbert told her.

"Alright, will do." She replied and hung up. They must be close. She looked around but couldn't see them, so she edged closer to watch the two gangs.

Shiho had pulled her truck close, since they had planned on taking whatever was in that shipment anyway and figured they'd need a large vehicle. Yzak eyed the truck and glanced at his own.

Not the same make and model, but close.

The two girls began loading the rest of the supplies into her truck as Meyrin stood guard.

"Nice going Athrun." Yzak grumbled.

"You didn't exactly help Yzak." Athrun grumbled back.

"Why'd you have to go all noble? We had it!"

"No we didn't, we already lost."

"Technically we were all at a draw." Rey replied.

"What will Kira say?" Yzak asked and smirked over at Athrun.

"Well he won't be happy, but at least we got half of it. He'll understand." Athrun answered.

"And want to fight back. These girls just signed their own death sentence." Yzak replied proudly.

Rey glanced at him and then to Meyrin. They were whispering so she couldn't hear much.

"Hey! Quit planning your escape!" she called.

"Relax, I already wasted enough energy today." Rey replied.

Mey scowled at him.

"Mey, we're done, let's go." Cagalli said and motioned for the girl to get in the truck.

She went to grab the weapons but Cagalli stopped her with a look. Mey nodded hesitantly and watched the boys as she backed towards the truck.

Cagalli glanced at Athrun before getting into the passenger seat and Shiho drove off.

"This is great." Yzak sneered.

"At least they left us half the supplies and gave our weapons back." Athrun said as he took his gun from the pile.

"Coward." Yzak growled and grabbed his own weapons.

"Or just smart." Rey said and they glanced at him.

"She's probably being noble like Athrun over here. Life for a life." Yzak said as he went to get into his truck.

"They could have killed us." Athrun told him as he stepped next to the passenger's seat.

"They're capable, yes, but they wouldn't do it." Rey said.

Athrun remained silent. He knew it was true. But he also knew that as hard as they tried to be, none of them could have pulled the trigger on a fatal blow.

"Congratulations boys. As a reward, you get to keep the stash you managed to save." they heard a female voice say from in front of Yzak's truck.

They whirled around to see Detective Ramius.

"What's going on?" Athurn asked, wary.

Murrue smiled. "Don't worry, I'm not exactly a detective anymore. Go ahead and take this back to your base. And tell Kira I say hi." she told them and began walking away.

They glanced at each other and then at the load in their truck. Yzak grinned and hopped into his truck. Athrun shrugged and also got in. Rey glanced around before getting in the back.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, hopefully this chappy makes up for it! Don't expect a quick follow up, but please review and tell me what you think. If you bother me enough, I'll punch another chapter out over break. I know I made Yzak a bit OOC, but love does strange things to people. Oops, did I say that? Has Yzak finally met his match, and a girl no less? I guess we'll just have to see (wink). I just didn't have the heart to kill anyone…yet. Ah who am I kidding? No one's going to die. Oh darn it, I gave a spoiler! Enjoy and Peace Out!-**


	37. Chapter 37: These Are My Confessions

**Chapter 37: These Are My Confessions**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own the characters of Gundam Seed/Destiny because they belong to the creators of said anime/manga. I also do not own the song "Too Much To Ask" because it is owned by Avril Lavigne.**

**To The Anonymous Reviewer: I couldn't reply to the review, so I'll reply here. I believe I stated this in the first chapter, but if it wasn't clear I apologize. This fanfiction story is set in an Alternate Universe (AU) which means it is not in the same setting as the anime/manga. Most of the characters, (including Kira, Cagalli, Meyrin, Luna, Shinn, Rau, and Gilbert to name a few) are Out Of Character (OOC) meaning they act differently and may not have the same personality as in the anime/manga. Because this is a fanfiction story on a fanfiction site, I am able to change these things in a story as long as I put a disclaimer in each chapter. So yes, Kira is an evil bastard for the purposes of this fanfiction. His personality was changed due to Rau's actions (the rape), his parents' actions (gang violence against each other), and his own involvement in the mafia (his gang and his sister's gang; gang violence). I'm sorry if this wasn't made clear before and I hope I answered your question.**

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* * *

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"_So what do you think about us keeping the baby?"_

"I'm curious as to how exactly you'll do that." Kira replied and gave him a knowing look.

"Well like I said, once she's close to the due date we'll probably quit the gangs. It would be impossible to raise a baby while in two separate gangs- enemy gangs no less! The only problem is…" Shinn told him and paused.

"Getting Cagalli and I to let you both go. I have to admit this is a pretty difficult decision you're both in, Shinn. How are you going to pay for the hospital appointments, baby products, and a house? Do you plan on getting a real job?" Kira asked with raised eyebrows.

Shinn hesitated. "Something like that…we have more to discuss, but we need both you and Cagalli's cooperation first before we can really plan anything."

"Meaning you want Bloodlust to fund everything, and she wants Pokitknives to fund everything."

"No…"

"Shinn, you never graduated High School. Remember Detective Ramius? I still need to work out getting you back in school."

"Then…fine. I can't be in the gang and go to school, but we can't get into any more trouble with the police. So I'll quit now, finish school, get a job and go from there." Shinn replied.

They gave each other level looks for a moment. Kira was being serious, and so was Shinn.

"You really want that? I'm more than ready to fund anything you might need, Shinn. You're still a Bloodlust member, which means whether you're having a baby with the enemy or not, I'll still help you out." Kira finally said.

"I still need to go back to school."

"You don't have to quit Bloodlust to go to school, just keep quiet about it."

"You really think Detective Ramius will let me stay in Bloodlust while I'm in school?"

"We'll just have to ask what limitations she intends to put on your schooling. If she makes you quit while in school, fine. I won't be happy about it, though, and it will be hard to pay for baby diapers when you aren't working for it."

Shinn sighed. "Alright, I get it, you want me to stay. But how am I supposed to stay in Bloodlust and raise a child?"

"We'll get you and Luna a house."

"But the war-,"

"The war," Kira cut him off and looked him straight in the eye as he continued, "will end."

* * *

"So how are you going to woo Kira back, Lacus?" Fllay asked. They were sitting in the living room of the base, planning their next move while Cagalli and the others were away.

"I've been thinking about that. Operation: Heartbreak was a bit too…subtle. I need to do something bold to get his attention." Lacus replied.

Fllay smirked and wiggled her eyebrows. "You mean like showing up at the base and ravaging him?" she asked.

Lacus's face lit up in a blush as she spluttered out, "No!"

Fllay laughed. "I was only joking. That's the kind of thing I would do, is all. But really, do you have anything in mind?" she asked again.

"There's a charity going on today for orphaned children, the organizers want me to sing a few songs." Lacus answered.

Fllay looked confused. "So what does that have to do with Kira?"

"I sent him an invitation."

* * *

"The war will…end? What do you mean? Are you planning to call a truce tonight?" Shinn asked with an incredulous expression.

"No. Not tonight. When the baby is born, the war will be over between Bloodlust and Pokitknives so that you two can raise the baby in peace. I will give Luna asylum, meaning no one from Bloodlust will be able to hurt her or even touch her in a hostile situation since she's pregnant. Between you two, there's peace, but the rest of us will keep fighting. Does she know the due date yet?" Kira replied.

"Oh." He breathed. "Um…We didn't…I don't know yet."

Kira nodded. "Make all the plans you need. When the baby is born we'll set you both up in a house and I'll personally declare a truce if Cagalli doesn't do so first. If you don't have a proper job by then Bloodlust will at least fund baby expenses. But I'm planning on working with The Reapers to get you a good job."

"Wait, working with The Reapers? I understand working with Mwu because you two are actually friends, but…haven't we involved them enough in our business?" he asked.

"They're already involved, why not use them to our advantage while they're snooping around? Mwu gave us this job as a Reaper, not as my friend. They're trying to help us."

"Well, anyway, I guess that's all we needed to discuss. Thanks. I should talk with Luna." Shinn replied and stood from his chair. Kira stood as well.

"If there's anything you need…just let me know. I'll see about getting you back in school." Kira said and stuck out his hand.

"You're my legal guardian now, just sign me up." Shinn replied and shook his hand.

"Are you sure you want to go back? We can weasel out of it you know…"

"I'm sure, I'd like to graduate and feel better as a parent knowing I can use my diploma to get a job without the help of the mafia." Shinn said sarcastically.

Kira stuck his tongue out at him and chuckled. "Go call Luna and see what Cagalli said."

Shinn returned the gesture and pulled out his cell phone as he walked into the kitchen to get a drink. Kira checked the table beside the front door where the mail was usually placed. He had checked the box and set the mail down when he was searching for the cameras earlier that morning. While he waited for Athrun and the others to get back he would see if anything useful came in the mail.

"Junk, bill, wrong address, packet about the spyware that will be dealt with by Athrun, more junk, and…" he paused with his mail sorting when he saw a letter from Lacus Clyne. He opened it to see a handwritten letter and another sealed letter made out by a charity for orphans.

He furrowed his eyebrows and took out the charity letter. It was an invite to a charity benefit later that day; in the entertainment section it listed Lacus. He moved on to the handwritten letter and instantly recognized Lacus's print.

_Kira,_

_I'll be singing at the charity and wanted you to come so we could talk things over. I know you enjoyed hearing me sing back in school for the talent contests, so I thought you would like the concert I'm doing. I'll understand if you don't want to come, but please consider it. I know deep down inside the sweet and caring Kira I once knew is still in you, so if not for me, at least come for the children. Being in a gang doesn't mean you can't care about children. This isn't a trap or set-up either. I worked everything out to get you in, if you decide to come, so please come._

_Sincerely,_

_Lacus_

Kira read over the note a few times, and then looked back over the charity invite. He glanced at the envelope and noticed it was mailed yesterday, before she even knew about the meeting. He checked the date and time on the invite, it would be over before the meeting.

"No wonder she wanted to meet later tonight. She's gotten sneaky." Kira murmured.

"Are you talking to yourself now?" Shinn asked with a wary expression.

"No…Lacus sent me an invite to something. It's either a coincidence or…I don't know what." Kira replied.

Shinn glanced at the letter and invite, then to Kira's face. "You going?" he asked.

"…should I?" he asked.

"Yes. Go." Shinn said and pointed to the door. Kira raised an eyebrow and Shinn raised both of his, gesturing towards the door. "Go and talk with her. It'll get your mind off of me and Luna. Besides, it's orphaned children. You can at least donate something on my behalf."

Kira was about to ask what Shinn meant but then remembered he was an orphan himself.

Shinn got closer and gave him a sultry look. "If not for Lacus or the children…at least go for me." He whispered.

Kira narrowed his eyes and scowled. "I thought this was over between us."

Shinn smiled. "It is, but it would help if you and Lacus got back together like Luna and I."

"Why does it feel like everyone is scheming against me?"

"Because we are." Shinn replied with a straight face and Kira shot him a look. "Just kidding!" he laughed and ran away before Kira could hit him.

"You're going!" Shinn called from the hallway.

"Alright fine!" Kira called back and grabbed his keys.

"Brat." He grumbled as he got into his car.

* * *

"I have to go and get ready, I already told Cagalli everything." Lacus told Fllay.

"Alright, just make sure you get back before the meeting tonight."

"It's only a few hours, and if Kira doesn't show up then I'll be back sooner anyway. I guess I'll have to find out what happened with the shipment after the meeting."

"I'm sure everything is going fine. Hope you have fun! Break a leg!" Fllay called as Lacus walked out of the door.

"Shinn? No I haven't talked with Cagalli yet." Luna said as she walked into the room. She was on the phone.

Fllay leaned close and Stellar was watching from the hall.

"Well, she's not…I just haven't been able to ask her yet. What did Kira say?" Luna continued.

Fllay motioned Milly over and they all watched as Luna paced back and forth.

"He…he said that? Really?" she asked in a breathless voice as she paused in her pacing. The girls glanced to each other and leaned closer, their eyes curious and excited.

"That's great though! You can go back and finish school now!" Luna exclaimed.

The girls looked confused and glanced to each other again.

"Oh, I can't go back. I'm pregnant and it would just be too much…too difficult. Even after the baby, I couldn't leave her to go to school." She replied again.

"Oh, I just…I say 'her' out of habit. I've always wanted a girl. But if we have a boy that would be great as well! I'm not picky." She said in answer to Shinn's question.

"What's going on?" Milly asked Fllay.

"Not sure, apparently Shinn talked to Kira about the baby. Then something about school came up. Not sure what that's about." Fllay replied.

"Stellar wants to see Shinn. Stellar misses Shinn."

"Stellar, you can't cause drama anymore with Shinn. Luna's pregnant now and we have to support her and their relationship." Milly replied.

"I feel the same kind of. Not for Shinn though. I want to see Kira real bad. I wanna tie him to the bed and-,"

"Too much information, Fllay!" Milly said loudly with a disgusted look.

"Oh like you don't want to do the same to Dearka!" Fllay replied.

"Shinn? What did you say?" Luna asked and put a hand against her other ear.

"Well yeah but I don't tell everyone in full detail." Milly muttered.

"Stellar wants to tie Shinn to a bed…"

Fllay laughed and Milly shook her head.

"Can you guys keep it down? This room has the best reception." Luna told them.

They quieted down and continued listening to Luna's conversation with Shinn.

"They were being loud, sorry. Something about tying someone to a bed." Luna told Shinn. "Yeah we uh, don't get a lot of action." She giggled. She laughed again at what he said as the girls scowled at her.

"It's too bad Operation: Heartbreak is over. Since Lacus claims Kira I can't exactly flirt with him anymore." Fllay said and pouted.

Stellar nodded and also pouted, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair.

"But anyway, I'm really glad he's cooperating. I just need to talk with Cagalli, I'm sure she'll feel the same." Luna said.

"Well, I'm not sure about that. Maybe she'll agree, but I figure she'll just let me leave. It really all depends on how things go." she continued.

"I wonder what Kira said…" Fllay murmured and glanced to Milly. "It sounds good though. Maybe he'll call a truce after all?"

"I doubt it, maybe he'll just let Shinn quit." Milly replied.

"No, I won't say anything. Cagalli should know though…but…okay, I understand." Luna replied to Shinn.

Fllay's eyebrows furrowed as her curiosity heightened.

Luna looked over and saw all three faces looking expectant. "I uh, gotta go. We can meet up and talk everything through."

"Love you too, bye."

"So what did Kira tell Shinn?" Fllay asked as she stood. Milly and Stellar also stood and looked curious.

"He's going to cooperate. He even said he'd give us money for the baby and set us up with a house if we need." Luna replied.

"Cool, but I bet Cagalli will beat that offer. If the enemy Godfather is doing more for her own gang member and friend that would look bad. Plus she'd be pissed. This is a good thing." Fllay told her.

"Yeah, and Shinn's also going back to school. When he…got back from the hospital the detective told Kira Shinn had to finish school since he dropped out to join Bloodlust." She added.

"Wow…your baby's daddy is going back to school. This just keeps getting interesting." Fllay said excitedly.

"Well I'm glad for you. Things seem to be getting better after all that madness took place. Hopefully Kira will make good on his promise to help you both out." Milly said and hugged her.

"Thanks, hopefully Cagalli will feel the same as Kira. From what she said earlier I'm sure she won't mind our decision." Luna replied and hugged her back.

"I guess we'll find out when she gets back." Fllay said.

"Where did Lacus go?" Luna asked.

"To get Kira back into her and off of Shinn." Fllay replied with a smirk.

* * *

"_It's the first time I ever felt this lonely. I wish someone could cure this pain. It's funny when you think it's gonna work out 'til you chose weed over me, you're so lame."_

Kira walked into the charity as Lacus began her song. He stopped as he listened to the lyrics. This song wasn't exactly fitting for a charity about orphaned children.

"_I thought you were cool until the point, up until the point you didn't call me when you said you would. I finally figured out you're all the same, always coming up with some kind of story."_

Was she talking about him? He narrowed his eyes and edged closer in the crowd. She spotted him and smiled as she sang on.

"_Every time I try to make you smile you're always feeling sorry for yourself. Every time I try to make you laugh you can't, you're too tough, you think you're loveless. Is that too much that I'm asking for?"_

Yes, she was singing about him. He knew there was something fishy going on when she invited him to a charity. Of course he enjoyed listening to her sing and watching her put on a show, but apparently this was all planned out. Was she trying to get his attention?

"_I thought you'd come around when I ignored you, sort of thought you'd have the decency to change. But babe I guess you didn't take that warning, 'cause I'm not about to look at your face again!"_

She looked away from him and back to the crowd as she sang the last verse and he scowled. He turned to leave but stopped at the next lyrics.

"_Can't you see that you lie to yourself? You can't see the world through a mirror. It won't be too late when the smoke clears, 'cause I, I am still here. But every time I try to make you smile you'd always go on feeling sorry for yourself. Every time I try to make you laugh you stand like a stone, alone in your zone. Is that too much that I'm asking for?"_

She definitely just got his attention. He half wanted to leave, half wanted to stay and hear the whole song. It didn't exactly sound like she was begging to get back with him, but she wasn't really trashing him either. This was bold for her; it sounded more like something Fllay would do…before tying him to a bed.

"_Yeah yeah, yeah yeah. Can't find where I am, lying here alone in fear. Afraid of the dark, no one to claim, alone again. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! Can't you see that you lie to yourself? You can't see the world through a mirror. It won't be too late when the smoke clears, 'cause I, I am still here._

"_Every time I try to make you smile you're always feeling sorry for yourself. Every time I try to make you laugh you can't, you're too tough, you think you're loveless. It was too much that I'm asking for."_

As she ended the song he clapped along with the others with a smirk. The next song was one of her popular hits, a favorite among the audience. He guessed the first one was just for him. When she was done with her set she thanked the guests for having her and praised the charity for organizing this benefit for the children, then urged the crowd to help however they could. He listened intently, never taking his eyes off of her. He remembered their last date and conversation, as well as the night they were together when she was captured. All thoughts of Shinn, Luna, the baby, Mwu's job, and Cagalli's betrayal were wiped away as he looked into her eyes and became mesmerized by her voice.

"You came! Oh I'm so glad!" she said excitedly and hugged him. "Sorry, I'm really happy." She replied at his surprised expression.

He smiled. "It's fine, I'm glad I came. I liked your song, Lacus." He told her with a knowing look.

She blushed becomingly and ducked her head. After glancing around she took his hand and led him to a less crowded area.

"Look, I know you have a lot on your mind and those words were a bit…much…but I just wanted to-,"

"Get my attention? Well you've got it." He stated with a small smile. Something glinted in his eyes, and she wasn't sure if she could trust him or not.

"Kira, you scared me. What you did to Luna, how you treat Shinn…I thought you would kill us all after you woke up from…from the attack. I don't even know how you feel about me anymore." She told him with a forlorn look.

"Lacus, I…" he began but paused. "I feel the same way about you. I mean, because of what I did…I thought you hated me or something."

"I don't hate you Kira. I thought you were into Shinn now, or that you had changed too much to care about me anymore." She replied.

"You don't think I'm a monster?"

"No. I think you're trying to be a Godfather and fighting as hard as you can for…something. I'm not going to say you did the right thing, and I'm still frightened of you, but…you remember that night when you kidnapped Milly and I while Cagalli had Shinn and Dearka?" she asked suddenly.

"Yes." He whispered.

"I felt…at home with you. I was happy. I loved you then…and I still love you." She confessed.

His eyes widened and he opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He looked into her eyes, looking for the lie, the trap, the manipulation.

All he saw was love and sadness in blue orbs.

He finally smiled and touched her cheek, feeling the heat of her blush beneath his skin. "I love you too Lacus. I'm sorry, for everything."

She beamed and hugged him again, and he hugged her back tightly.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Phew! That took a while to get out. I thought of having Lacus sing the song while driving the other day and was rushing to get this out so I wouldn't forget! Please review and let me know what you think, any questions, comments, etc. are welcome. I left myself an opening for the next chapter so I can't complain about having nothing to work with…I just have to…you know…write it out. Thanks to all my loyal reviewers and fans! Your favorites and reviews encourage me to keep going, 37 chapters and still far from over! Woo! Peace out!-**


	38. So What? I'm Still a Rockstar! Part 1

**Chapter 38: So What? I'm Still a Rockstar! (Part 1)**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny nor the characters, just the fictive plot and setting of this particular work of fanfiction.**

* * *

"We're back!" Cagalli called as she entered the base. Shiho and Meyrin followed behind her with boxes of the weapons, they started setting them down in the living room of the base as the other girls gathered around.

"Woah…"

"Uh, Shiho? You're kinda bleeding…"

"Yeah I know, the boys didn't want to lose their precious shipment so we ended up in a fight." Shiho replied to Fllay.

"Ouch, who'd you get stuck with?" she asked back.

"Yzak. Cagalli took Athrun and Meyrin cornered Rey. It was a stalemate for a while, but when things started to turn we came out on top. Or, actually, Athrun was on top of Cagalli but let us win." She replied with a small smirk.

The others gasped and Cagalli tried to hide the blush threatening to bloom on her cheeks. "It's not really like that. We were in control, then the boys had us, but when Mey knocked Rey's gone off the roof of a nearby building it went off and almost hit me. Honestly, it probably would have hit me if Athrun hadn't tackled me to the ground."

"Oh _really_?" Milly asked with an interested look. Fllay grinned, Luna smiled, and Stellar giggled as they grouped around their leader.

"How noble of him. Are you sure there wasn't something else going on?" Fllay asked with a knowing look.

Cagalli rolled her eyes and put another box down. "I'm sure; we were literally fighting each other. We were all even and he basically gave us the win, so I allowed them to keep what they had managed to grab and didn't take their weapons."

"So since he saved your life you spared theirs? I suppose that's decent, although I'm worried how Kira will feel about all this." Milly replied.

"Yeah, and speaking of…where's Lacus? That girl just keeps disappearing every time I let her out of my sight!" Cagalli exclaimed and looked around.

"Oh, she went on a mission to woo Kira." Fllay said and looked upwards in a dreamy look as she sighed.

"She what?"

"She went to a charity because she was asked to perform, you know the Orphan organization? She invited Kira to the event so they could talk before the meeting." Luna spoke up.

"Oh, right. Well she better be careful." Cagalli said and glanced at the clock. The tense situation at the pier lasted about an hour from the time they got there to the time they arrived back at the base, so it was around six o' clock now. She hoped Lacus would be able to make it back in time to prepare for the meeting at eight. She didn't want to think of what might be happening if Kira was in a bad mood.

"I think she'll be fine. Kira seems to have mellowed out. I spoke with Shinn and he told me Kira was fine with everything. He wants to help with baby funds and even offered to set us up in a house once the baby is delivered. Shinn has to finish school though, and I think he plans on quitting Bloodlust." Luna told her.

"Oh wow…that's unusual for him. I can't believe he'd offer that much." Cagalli said in an awed voice.

"He's being awfully friendly right now, are you sure we can trust him?" Meyrin asked with a skeptical look.

"Well…maybe he'll let us know more at the meeting." Her sister replied. Cagalli knew she was hiding something, but didn't press the issue. Obviously Luna knew something that she either didn't want to tell or wasn't allowed to tell, but she knew she would get the truth one way or the other, sooner or later.

"Is there anything else I need to know?" Cagalli asked instead of questioning Luna.

"Uh…"

"Stellar is confused." The other blond confessed.

"Why are you confused?"

"Are we fighting them, or loving them? One day we're capturing them, the next we're dating them. This is getting too confusing, especially since Luna is pregnant with Shinn's baby. Are we still going to fight them even though half of us are in love with half of them? Stellar does not understand."

There was a moment of silence as everyone thought over what she was saying. The war was escalating, but no one really knew where it was going. They had gone from capturing and torturing their enemies to dating and seducing them, and along the way they began to actually fall in love. They couldn't expect to fight them if they had feelings for them, that much was obvious at the shipyard. Cagalli knew Athrun was going easy on her, plus he practically saved her life, and she was going easy on him as well. If things were really dangerous, she wasn't sure if she would actually be able to seriously injure or even kill Athrun. She knew Luna wouldn't dare harm Shinn, Milly was still head-over-heels for Dearka and he probably still had a hard-on for her as well, Fllay would sooner screw Kira than fight him, and Stellar would probably try to steal Shinn away from Luna if she ever had the chance. Plus the whole mess between Lacus and Kira, Cagalli knew Lacus would surrender to him if things got messy, but she was worried on what exactly Kira would do at that point. She knew her girls, but didn't know how the boys would react. At this point, they were in a sticky situation.

The only girls that would seriously fight were Meyrin and Shiho, and judging by the action earlier, she wasn't sure how that would go if all the guys decided to attack. She even noticed some odd chemistry between Shiho and Yzak, which she chose to ignore for her sanity's sake. So it would be down to Meyrin and Rey. She didn't like those odds, especially if Bloodlust didn't feel as strong, or even return the feelings, of the Pokitknives.

"I know it's confusing, and I know things aren't very black and white, but hopefully this meeting tonight will clear things up. I don't completely trust the guys right now; they could just as well be playing us for all we know, just like we were playing them before. It was made clear that they were involved in their own Operation: Heartbreak, which they could still be running, or they could have moved on to something else. Right now, we need…" she paused as she tried to think of what their plan of action should really be. She knew this was a dangerous path they were walking, and that things could only get worse if they got caught up in love. Men, they could be so harsh and cold, cruel and heartless; it was hard to figure out their weakness.

Their weakness. Maybe the girls had already found that without even realizing it. Maybe…they needed to continue on this path.

"We need…what?" Fllay asked, looking worriedly at Cagalli.

A new light formed in her amber eyes as a small smirk began turning her lips upwards. "We need to use our most powerful weapon."

"And that is?"

"Our hearts."

* * *

Athrun sighed as he got out of Yzak's truck. They looked at each other for a moment before grabbing some boxes from the truck and heading inside the base. There was a lot of information to sift through, and Athrun wasn't even done processing half of it himself. How would they explain to Kira what went down?

First of all, the Pokitknives apparently found out about their supposedly secret job, so either the Reapers were setting them up, or someone leaked the information. Worst would be if the girls were still monitoring them somehow. Kira definitely wouldn't be happy about that. Not only did they know about it, but they showed up as well and tried to take the cargo; which they half managed to do. It didn't matter that the shipment was meant for them in the first place, he would still be pissed that they nearly failed their mission. Not only would they not have gotten paid as much as before, but even though the weapons were theirs now, they only had half. He wondered if Mwu would be disappointed in them, but also wondered if Andy had tipped the girls off, or if the Reapers had anything to do with the girls finding out.

To top things all off, Murrue was involved. He still wasn't sure how the hell _that_ happened. Was she officially part of the Reapers, or was that a trap? Were the police on their way now, about to break down the doors and arrest them all for theft and illegal gang activities? She said she wasn't really a detective anymore, but what did that mean? Was she promoted or something? She didn't flash any badges, and for some reason she seemed different from when she was interrogating them in the hospital, but he still didn't trust this. Maybe Kira would understand what she meant, or maybe they just needed to corner Mwu and make him spill his guts on the whole situation before they all went crazy.

He entered the base and glanced around. Shinn was lounging and reading a magazine, but he didn't see Dearka or Nicol. He set the box down warily and Shinn glanced over, then furrowed his eyebrows.

"I thought you were supposed to deliver the packages to Mwu."

"Well, we had a bit of a problem, and uh…I think it's safe to say this stash was for us all along." Athrun replied.

Shinn raised an eyebrow and got out of the chair, looking over the boxes with wide eyes. "What…this is all for us?"

"Well, we only got half of the shipment…"

"What happened to the rest of it?"

"The girls took it."

"…"

"Hey guys, you're back! What took you so long? What're in the boxes?" Dearka asked as he came into the living room.

"Weapons and ammunition. Those hoes swooped in and stole half of it though. Then the freakin' detective showed up saying 'Oh this is yours guys, tell Kira I say hi!' like we're supposed to know what that's all about. Bloody surprises just keep getting worse and worse. If something else happens I'll shoot myself." Yzak grumbled as he set another box down and glared at it.

"Wait…they knew about the job? And what detective?" Dearka asked with a puzzled expression.

"I'm not sure how they found out, but they showed up, we fought it out, and they took half of the shipment. Detective Ramius, the chick who was interrogating Shinn and Kira at the hospital and paid us a visit a while back." Athrun answered.

"You mean you practically gave it to them. Where's Kira? He needs to hear how his golden boy saved Cagalli's life and then handed her half our cash load." Yzak growled.

Athrun sighed and Rey remained silent, but held a sour look on his face.

"He's…out, um, doing something with Lacus…" Shinn replied and tried to understand what the others were saying. What was Murrue doing getting involved like this? What did it mean?

Not to mention what Yzak said about Athrun saving Cagalli. He didn't even try to figure that one out.

"He's on a date right now?" Yzak asked in an incredulous tone.

"Not really, she sent him an invite to this event she's doing, she's performing for some orphan organization and he went to talk to her I guess."

"He didn't tell us that, I thought he was still here somewhere. Weren't you two talking things out earlier?" Dearka asked.

"Yeah, and then he was looking through the mail and saw the letter she sent-," as he was talking Yzak stormed over to the counter where the mail was scattered and read over the letter Lacus had sent.

Athrun and Dearka joined him, and Shinn brought Nicol up to speed on things since he was still working on what to say during the meeting and preparing himself for what was to come.

"Unbelievable. He's pissed at you for knocking up Luna, and he's probably knocking up Lacus right now. Maybe he got messed up in the head with that shark attack." Yzak said.

"Maybe this is a good thing…" Athrun murmured.

"Well if Luna and Shinn are allowed to be together, and he's hooking back up with Lacus, I say we should also be able to hook up with our ex's." Dearka said and they all looked at him with a level stare.

"What? Why can't I date Milly again if they get to have their girlfriends?"

"Is that all you can really think about Dearka?" Yzak asked angrily.

"Being stuck in here with you guys, yeah."

"At the rate we're going, this war will become a love fest." Rey grumbled.

"Maybe that's not a bad thing." Nicol said. "Maybe this is what we need to reach peace."

"I still say we should sneak in while they're all sleeping and slit their throats." Yzak sneered.

"Only you would slit a throat, the rest of us would probably sleep with them." Dearka replied.

Rey raised an eyebrow and got a weird look on his face. Athrun tried to hide a blush and was spluttering for a retort while Yzak looked mildly disturbed. Shinn chuckled and then quieted after a few glares while Nicol turned pale.

"Well, maybe except for Rey who has no sex drive, and Athrun's too much of a coward to put any moves on Cagalli. Shinn already knocked one of them up, and Nicol…would do neither."

"All you guys think about is killing them and having sex with them…is there really nothing else?" Nicol asked quietly.

"That's all they're good for." Yzak mumbled.

"I still think you play for the other team…" Dearka muttered back in Yzak's general direction.

"What did you say, playboy?" Yzak growled.

"I dunno, that little interaction with the new girl was pretty…intense." Athrun said with a smirk after recovering from Dearka's earlier statement.

"We were kicking each other's asses, how does that relate to anything sexual?" Yzak exclaimed.

"Wait, wait, wait," Dearka said quickly with a shocked expression, "she was kicking your _ass_? Like seriously kicking your ass? And you admitted it?"

"She managed to land some hits, but I was clearly winning." Yzak replied with a guarded expression.

"Actually you were quite even, as were Cagalli and I." Athrun spoke up.

"It looked like you two were making love, not war." Yzak countered. Rey nodded and glanced to Shinn who was oddly silent during the exchange.

"But Athrun, you were implying something weren't you?" Dearka asked and ignored Yzak's angry expression.

"Well, Yzak doesn't go for just any girl, and I think the fact that she was tough enough to fight him without totally getting her ass handed to her made an impression, at least." Athrun continued.

"You're both dreaming, you just want all of us to fall for the rest of them so we can all be one big happy family. Ugh, you make me sick." The silver haired man spat and left the room angrily.

Dearka grinned as he watched his friend go. "Oh yeah, he digs her."

"Guys, I think we should figure out what this all means before Kira comes back." Shinn finally said.

"Whether Yzak likes the new girl?"

"No, why the girls showed up, took half the shipment, and then Murrue told you to keep the rest." Shinn replied.

"What?"

They all turned to see Kira come through the door, a suspicious expression on his face.

"Too late." Dearka commented and started to whistle nervously.

Kira looked at Athrun like a hawk circling above its prey as he awaited the explanation.

"They found out about the job and showed up to surprise us. We engaged in combat but lost, so they took half the shipment." Athrun began.

Kira glanced at the boxes and back to Athrun. "Then why aren't the rest of them sitting at Mwu's right now?"

"Because Murrue showed up and told us to keep them. She also wanted us to tell you she said…hi." Athrun braced himself for an attack, leaning away from his friend and Godfather and half-flinching before a blow could even hit.

Kira blinked and continued staring at him, as if waiting for more.

"Excuse me, what?"

"We were even, winning one second, losing the next, until things finally turned when Meyrin pushed my rifle off the roof we were on. It fired off and almost hit Cagalli but Athrun here saved her, and then he called it quits." Rey told him flatly.

"Then the detective showed up and said the shipment was for us. We're not sure if she's with the Reapers or was setting us up for something. She didn't flash a badge or try to arrest us." Athrun added.

Before Kira could start yelling and shooting Shinn stepped closer. "How did that thing with Lacus go?"

Kira eyed him with a dark look and turned back to Athrun. "We need to talk."

Athrun nodded and they went into the Godfather's office. The others stood there for a moment in silence.

"Nice one Shinn, what was that about?" Dearka asked.

"I wanted to distract him…before he tried to kill us." He said and shrugged.

* * *

"What the hell happened out there?" Kira asked darkly when they reached his office.

"Everything was going fine until the girls showed up. I was unloading the shipment when all of a sudden Cagalli shows up pointing a gun at my head. The new girl had Yzak, and Meyrin was on Rey. Since we were even in numbers it came down to one-on-one fights. I took on Cagalli since she moved in to steal our load, while Yzak battled the new girl. Rey and Meyrin were at a stand-still since they were both the scouts of the groups, but then something must have happened because Meyrin shouted 'look out' and a sniper rifle was falling from the roof. When it touched ground it fired off a shot in my and Cagalli's direction, I just…acted instinctively." Athrun told him.

Kira sat silent for a moment. "You tackled her to the ground so the bullet wouldn't hit her." He stated.

"Yeah well I didn't see the point in having her accidentally die. Plus I figure you'd want that moment of glory." Athrun grumbled in an irritated tone.

"Well I'm sorry for not praising you for saving the enemy!" Kira yelled, sensing Athrun's anger. "I know you like her Athrun but damn it this is too far! I'm not saying you should've let her get shot, but did you really have to give it all up after you saved her? You should have taken advantage, she owed you her life."

"I know…I just didn't want to fight anymore. I knew she wouldn't give up that easily, so I gave it to her. It was better than losing everything."

"But you still failed."

"We still got half the shipment. We would have gotten more if she had waited longer to act."

"But she didn't, and now they have more weapons and ammunition, plus they know about the job, which is dangerous for us, because they could learn about more jobs."

"Kira, I think we need to determine whether the Reapers had anything to do with this. With Murrue showing up like that, she's either one of them now or just set us up." Athrun replied with a serious expression. He knew Kira wouldn't want to think that Mwu betrayed them, and being set up by the police wasn't the greatest news to hear either. He only hoped Kira would look past his anger and step up as a leader before things went down.

"I highly doubt Mwu would tell us about this job after offering me that advice just to send the girls over and mess things up. Now if Andy had said something and this whole thing was a test, I could possibly understand. I'd be pissed, but I could believe that. Tell me more about Murrue showing up." Kira told him.

"There's really not much else to say, she said 'Congratulations guys, you get to keep the rest of it as a reward' or something like that, then I asked what was going on and she answered that she wasn't a detective anymore and to take the stuff we saved back to the base. Then she said to tell you she said 'hi'. I'm assuming you know what that means, or that it means something to you, because honestly I have no idea."

Kira thought it over for a moment, analyzing all that Athrun had said. He could bring up their involvement at the job during the meeting, but he knew he had to talk with Mwu to get everything straightened out.

"Murrue is with the Reapers. Otherwise she would have arrested you three right then and there with a whole SWAT team or something. That explains why the cops were chasing down another false shipment; she must have pulled some strings and got them off this one so we could get it. I think this was her initiation or introduction." He finally stated.

"I guess we won't know for sure until we hear more from them. Are you planning on bringing this up at the meeting tonight?" Athrun asked.

"Of course. We might as well put all our cards on the table. Hold nothing back. We're going to flesh out the truth and get to the bottom of everything before this mess turns into a disaster."

"Do you think they know about Murrue's involvement?" Athrun asked.

"When did she approach you?" Kira asked back.

"After they left, when we were about to leave. I just wonder if they knew, since they knew about the job."

"I doubt it, unless one of the Reapers told them about the job. I won't have Nicol bring it up unless Lacus brings it up first."

"By the way…"

Kira gave him a level look, daring to ask him.

Athrun knew Kira wasn't as angry anymore, so tested his luck with a small smile. "How'd it go with Lacus?"

They were still friends, even after all this, so the bluenette wasn't worried about Kira's reaction. Plus he knew his friend would want to talk if anything had happened.

The other man was quiet for a moment until finally he sighed and leaned forward. "She sang a song for me."

"Wasn't she there to perform?"

"Yeah but, she literally sang a song to me. I think she just used the charity as an excuse to do it. She's gotten sneaky, I don't know if I like it."

"Come on Kira, tell me the truth."

"Okay, so maybe I like it a little." Kira replied with a blush and a smirk. "It was about her being lonely and every time she tries to make me smile or laugh I act too tough, stuff like that. She was trying to get my attention and let me know how she felt. Afterwards she took me aside and we uh…talked about some things."

Athrun leaned closer with a widening grin. "Oh really now? What things? And don't tell me this is none of my business, or else I might get mad at you for holding out on me." He joked.

Kira chuckled a bit at that. "Just, you know, about our feelings." He replied hesitantly. Athrun nodded for him to go on. "She said I scared her with the whole Luna and Shinn thing, she was worried about what I would do once I woke up, and didn't really know how I felt about her anymore basically. I told her what I told you earlier, about how I didn't think she cared for me anymore because I was a monster. But she doesn't think that, thought I was just doing what I needed to do, and then she told me she still loved me."

Athrun didn't know what to say to that, so they both said nothing for a while.

"I told her I loved her back."

"You did?" Athrun exclaimed.

Kira nodded and swiveled his chair a bit, his chin in his hand as he stared at his desk.

"So…are you two getting back together? What does this mean for all of us?" Athrun finally asked.

"I'm not sure, on either point. Shinn and Luna are one thing, and Operation: Lust is over and done with. I'm not about to call a truce so we can all date each other without fear of killing each other in the process, especially since it's just two couples."

"Actually, Dearka expressed that he would like to be allowed to date Milly again."

Kira stopped swiveling and looked at him. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, you can take it up with him, but he said since Shinn and Luna get to date and since it appeared that you were hooking back up with Lacus he wanted to date Milly too." Athrun told him.

"I…don't know what to say to that. It wouldn't be a good idea, that's for sure, or else all hell would break loose."

Athrun put up his hands and started to get up.

"Wait a second. Athrun, are you still in love with my sister?"

He stopped and slowly sat back down. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. "I think so." He whispered.

Kira nodded and seemed lost in thought as he mulled over all these things. Something started forming in his mind, a feeling overcame him, like a revelation.

"Maybe this is it." He whispered to himself.

"What?"

"Maybe this is what I've been looking for. We can't fight back without causing further bloodshed and chaos, but simply calling a truce would leave things unfinished. But if we let things happen…if we go with our feelings and our guts…maybe things could end smoothly for both of us." He continued to whisper, ignoring Athrun for a moment.

"You're starting to scare me Kira."

He finally looked up again with new determination in his eyes. "That's it. I've decided that it's time we use our greatest weapon, and this time we won't half-ass it with lust." He told Athrun, looking him straight in the eyes.

He had a skeptical look but waited for Kira to elaborate.

A smirk began to form on Kira's lips. "Love is the answer."

* * *

"Hey Cagalli, I'm back. Sorry it took so long." Lacus said as she entered Cagalli's office.

"It's okay, I heard you were on a mission of sorts with Kira." Cagalli replied with a knowing look.

Lacus ducked her head to hide her blush. "Yes, I invited him to the charity I was singing at and we talked afterwards. I sang that song for him, the one I told you about? It certainly got his attention. I also told him the truth about how I feel for him, and I think he told me the truth as well."

"Well what did he say?"

"He said he loved me too, but he thought I would think he was a monster after all that he's done. I told him he scared me, but that I still loved him nonetheless. He even apologized and gave me a hug." She continued with a smile as she relieved the memory of his warm embrace. She could still smell his cologne and feel his arms around her, holding her tightly to him.

Cagalli raised an eyebrow and allowed a small smile as she watched her friend. "Then what happened?" she asked with a slightly devilish look.

Lacus snapped out of her reverie and looked at Cagalli innocently. "Nothing, we both left after that."

"Oh come on, you can't tell me nothing else happened after that tender moment." Cagalli told her with an expectant look.

Lacus's face grew red. "I-I told you, nothing else. We said our goodbyes and then I left because I knew I needed to come back here before meeting Nicol at the bar!"

Cagalli laughed at her friend's expression and knew she wouldn't get any more out of the girl, at least not yet. Something else happened between the two, but for now only they knew what it was.

"Let's get you set up for the meeting, it's almost time." Cagalli said and stood. She took out the headset and microphone they would both be using and handed Lacus the earpiece and clip-on mini-mic that she attached to the inside of her shirt, with the line running down inside so no one would see—or so they hoped. Cagalli put her own mic and earpiece on and they proceeded to test the sound.

After noting that everything was fine they ran over topics that were free to discuss and topics that were banned, and Cagalli briefed her about what happened at the pier and warned her that they might bring it up. She also filled her in on what Shinn and Luna discussed earlier, and what Kira had said about the whole thing. Once Lacus was up to speed it was time for her to head out.

"Are you sure you don't want some of us to come along, just in case they're planning something?" Meyrin asked with a worried look.

"I'm sure. Nicol would warn me if this was a trap, and I think it's genuine. Besides, if anything happens you'll know from the microphone. Kira wanted to talk instead of attacking or giving up, so I'm not too concerned about things ending badly." Lacus replied with a smile.

"Just remember what happened the last time he tried to 'talk' to one of us." Meyrin replied.

"That was Kira himself, this is Nicol."

"And remember what Cagalli did the last they chatted as well. Every time we try to discuss things it goes wrong and someone gets hurt." Milly added.

"Well I saw him earlier and he made no move to harm me, so I think the winds have changed. But I promise I'll be careful and let you know if things are looking bad." Lacus told them.

They all nodded and gave her a small hug before she left to go to Rockstar Bar. When her car left the driveway Cagalli turned and nodded to Shiho. The girl nodded back and grabbed some gear before heading out as well.

* * *

Lacus arrived at the bar on time and picked a table in a corner, so that she had a view of the entire bar and couldn't be closed off on either side. She could be cornered, but it was better than picking some place in the middle. She made sure her mic and earpiece were on and then looked around. There weren't many people here yet, since it was early in the night despite being eight, but couldn't see anyone from Bloodlust. She waited for Nicol to arrive and felt a bit nervous for the first time.

"_Is everything good?"_ Cagalli asked form the other line.

"So far, so good. He isn't here yet and I don't see anyone else." Lacus replied quietly.

"_Keep an eye out."_

She assented and then looked up when the door opened to see familiar green hair. She smiled and he smiled back when he noticed her and sat down in the opposite seat with his back to the rest of the room.

At a pool table nearby, a hat barely managed to cover the silver hair of one of the players, and outside the bar someone was peering inside a window, keeping an eye on that particular corner…

* * *

**-Author's Note: Confound it I just can't seem to get to the bloody meeting! It's taken me, what, three chapters and I'm still not there? Gah! Don't worry, the next chapter will definitely hold the meeting (and probably nothing else, cough cough). Please review and tell me what you guys think, I promise I'll update again soon, I want to run through the stories I haven't updated in a while and that I have a plot for first and then I'll go back and continue. Questions, comments, ideas, etc. are welcome, just no flames please. Thirty-eight chapters with no end in sight, muwahaha! Peace out!-**


	39. So What? I'm Still a Rockstar! Part 2

**Chapter 39: So What? I'm Still a Rockstar! (Part 2)**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Gundam Seed Destiny, its characters or plots. I own the plot and gang names of this particular fanfiction only. I also do not own the various song titles I've used as chapter titles (lol).**

* * *

"Lacus won't be happy when she finds out." Luna said to Cagalli quietly as the girls went about their duties for the night. Lacus hadn't arrived yet at Rockstar Bar and the mics were on low for now.

"You saw?" Cagalli asked and covered the mic. Lacus was driving and wouldn't be paying attention, but she still wanted to be careful.

"Of course. You really don't trust them, do you?" Luna replied insightfully.

"I know better than to send her out alone by now, whether I trust them or not. Looking back on what took place the last couple of times we've tried actually talking with them, I realize no matter if the intentions are good things always go wrong and turn for the worst. I don't want this to be a trap, I really don't, and I don't want Lacus to get hurt. I just don't know Kira's state of mind right now, but he has to be pissed. I know I would be; I know I _was_ and that I'm to blame for this mess." Cagalli replied grimly.

"What? No, you're not. Everyone is at fault for what happened. The recent events sent us on the path we're on now, and everyone's decisions impacted what happened and where it lead us. It wasn't just what Kira did to me; that may have pushed the events further down and faster along, but this started a long time ago and has culminated up to this point." Luna told her reassuringly. "Besides, we can't change the past now, all we can do is move forward. Hopefully this meeting will allow us to let go and push onwards in a new, better direction."

"Thanks, Luna, that makes sense. But still, I'm worried. That's why I sent Shiho out too. No doubt they have someone else there as well; I know she'll spot him before Lacus does. She'll know what to do."

"You're right; Lacus could miss something, or be in danger, so you did the right thing."

"That's good to know." Cagalli breathed, leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes.

After a while she heard Lacus through her earpiece. _"I'm here."_

"Is everything good?" Cagalli asked her, already worried and hoping Shiho had made it as well.

"_So far, so good. He isn't here yet and I don't see anyone else."_ Lacus replied quietly.

"Keep an eye out." Cagalli told her, keeping the concern out of her voice.

"_I will."_ The girl answered.

* * *

Shiho watched from the window, crouching on the ground and hiding behind a counter so that no one could see her from inside. She kept an eye on Lacus and surveyed the area around her. She caught on to a familiar build of one of the pool players, but wasn't sure where she remembered seeing that particular person. He was facing away from her in such a way that Lacus wouldn't be able to see his face either, which caught Shiho's attention, but he was still playing and seemed to banter with the other players as if they knew him, so it may be a coincidence. But that back, so straight and lean, and those arms, so long and muscular…

She shook her head and ignored her emotions for the moment; she couldn't afford to get distracted. She saw Nicol pull up in the driveway and cornered herself so that he couldn't see where she was crouching and watched as he walked in. He wasn't acting offensively or defensively, he just walked straight to the table casually like anyone else would. Of course, it wasn't Nicol that she suspected; it was someone else of the Bloodlust gang that she was looking for.

As she watched a conversation get underway, she kept getting drawn to the pool player close to Lacus and Nicol's table. Something about him drew her to him, and she wasn't sure if it was her silly girl emotions or that gut feeling she got and relied upon. Something flashed in the light of the lamp above the table and she narrowed her eyes. She used binoculars to peer closer, focusing on his head. He was wearing a hat and his hair must be short, because it didn't show from beneath the cap…or maybe that was the reason for the hat, in order for the hair not to be seen?

That neck, it looks so familiar…

'_Focus Shiho! Quit ogling the boy!'_ she yelled at herself. Then something happened, the player moved somewhat and she could see better. Yep, his hair was definitely tucked inside the cap, which meant he was hiding something. There was another flash and this time she saw what it was.

Silver. His hair was silver.

Her heart did this funny thing where it seemed to skip a beat. Maybe it was a jolt…

He moved again, glancing in the direction of the table where Lacus and Nicol were at, or maybe towards the door…and the side of his face could be seen.

She gasped and stumbled a bit as her footing wobbled.

It was him, Yzak Joule.

As he swung his eyes around back to the table he caught movement in the far corner, where a window was situated next to a counter on the side of the bar.

She knew she was caught and cursed her luck.

She put down the binoculars, because she couldn't let him see them, but she could still see the small smirk from the side of his face. _'Shit.'_

"And that's the game boys. I'm going to the john, I'll be back to take your money later, losers." He sneered.

"That was just luck and you know it." Another player joked.

The bathrooms were coincidentally placed on the other side of the bar, and he passed the window on his way. Also coincidentally was a side-door leading outside in the same hall as the bathrooms. No one noticed as he slipped out.

She saw him coming and quickly glanced around for cover. She knew she couldn't go into the parking lot or else Lacus or Nicol could see her, plus there could be an ambush waiting. She decided to head for the back of the building and moved along the wall, coming to a door…

…right as the door opened to reveal Yzak.

_**-Flashback-**_

"_Yzak, can I speak to you?" Kira asked when he found him._

"_Sure." He grumbled._

"_Have you done what I asked about the new girl?"_

"_Oh, yeah. I managed to get her name during the scuffle. Shiho. That was all I needed, but as you know, I like to get the most for my trouble so I put a tracer on her." Yzak replied with a smirk._

"_When you were fighting? She didn't notice?" Kira asked incredulously._

"_Yeah, she got cut so I slid it into her wound. You know how small those things are." Yzak replied proudly._

_Kira smirked as well. "Good job. I want you to go to Rockstar Bar, before Nicol leaves, to scout the place and keep an eye on them. I don't trust either of them, even with microphones."_

"_Gotcha. And if she shows up?"_

"_Do what you have to." Kira answered, the innuendo apparent. Yzak smirked and cracked his knuckles._

"_It would be my pleasure, sir." He said smugly. Kira looked pleased as he left._

_When he reached Rockstar Bar he met up with some pool players and made his cover, and then when Shiho arrived he knew so scanned the area to see where she was hiding. He caught movement in the window and could tell it was her, and he knew she had seen him as well._

_**-End Flashback-**_

"So here we are, Shiho Hahnenfuss." Yzak sneered as he had her pinned to the wall.

"So it seems, Yzak Joule." She replied in kind.

"I assume you know everything about me, so I returned the favor and found out everything about you." Yzak told her as they struggled.

"Are you sure?" she asked to throw him off guard.

It didn't work. He only smirked in a devilish manner and said, "Positive."

She glared at him and growled. Clearly he was winning this fight, just as before. _'My stupid emotions kept distracting me, that's why. It's something about him that's messing me up.'_ She told herself angrily.

A few people walked by, passed the corner, and before she knew what was happening she felt lips on hers and a tongue slide in her mouth as his arms wrapped around her, pulling her away from the wall. She froze for a moment but couldn't stop her eyes from fluttering closed.

"What the hell was _that_?" she gasped when he pulled back.

He only continued to smirk and said, "Cover, you idiot. Don't you know anything about being a spy?"

"Oh like those people would've been suspicious if-," she began but he cut her off.

"If they saw a guy pinning a girl to the wall? Yeah, that would've been bad for both of us, and we don't want to draw too much attention to ourselves now do we?" he replied.

She scowled. "So instead they see, what? A couple making out?" she asked through clenched teeth.

He shrugged, still looking smug as he crossed his arms, making sure to stand where he was blocking her in. She glared at him and they held a staring contest.

* * *

"It's…good to see you again, Nicol, even under these circumstances." Lacus said genuinely and smiled at him.

"Same here, I hope this meeting resolves things." He replied earnestly.

"_Yeah, yeah."_ Kira grumbled on the other line, unbeknownst to Lacus as she nodded back.

"So, I guess we should begin." She stated. He nodded and they both took out their notes, and then chuckled at each other.

"_First up is the shark attack."_ Kira told him.

"So, my Godfather wants to know why your Godfather literally had him 'swimming with the fishes', where he almost was devoured by one, a large one at that." Nicol said with slight amusement. He could tell Kira would be scowling.

Lacus hid a smile. "Well, simply put, Cagalli was paying him back for what he did to Luna. Not only that, but a lot of things that have gone unpunished were put into the efforts she used during their meeting." Lacus replied.

"But she demanded a Blood Tribute, took it, and pushed him in. Were her intentions to cause a shark attack Kira?"

"No, it was just…coincidence. Well, maybe not coincidence, but she didn't have that in mind. Honestly she just wanted to rub some salt in his wound. She realized things didn't go the way she had planned, which was why she decided to call Athrun and the others. Kira granted us that favor with Luna, so she believed she owed him at least that much." Lacus spoke for her friend and leader.

Nicol nodded. "That's understandable…er…at least, now that we know her real intentions that matter is mostly cleared up. What happened can't be helped now." He said as if he was trying to convince someone.

"_I can barely hear what he's saying, could you get the mic closer?"_ Cagalli asked. Lacus cleared her throat and leaned a bit closer, inadvertently pushing her chest out where her mic was situated. Nicol hid a small blush but leaned in a bit as well.

"Then that slate is wiped clean, officially, although Kira wants Cagalli to know that he is still angry at the turn of events." Nicol added.

"Right, and she…acknowledges that. She knows he's angry and he has every right to be, she's not asking for forgiveness, but she doesn't want the threat of him getting revenge again." Lacus replied.

"That won't happen." Nicol assured her.

"Good."

* * *

Yzak and Shiho were peering through the window, watching the table but unable to make out what the two were saying.

"Ugh, get off me, Joule."

"I'm not on you, Ho." He growled back.

They glared at each other more and she reached inside her bag, but he quickly grabbed her hand. "Hey, none of that."

"Relax, I'm just getting something so I can hear better." She told him.

"And what about me?"

"Read their lips." She replied smartly.

He scowled at her. "Look, we're both here for the same reason, so instead of fighting with each other we should work together." He suggested.

"What do you mean?" she asked suspiciously. This didn't seem like him, so she grew wary.

"We'll have to go with our cover. Sneak back in and grab a table so we can hear them without them seeing us, that way we can both complete our mission."

"Are you asking me out on a date?"

"What? No! This is neutral territory so we can't exactly fight it out here, and we both were ordered to monitor the situation in case they turn traitor, right? Plus you and I both know we can't let each other out of our sights now."

She looked at him while she weighed the options, and despite her better judgment, he had a point. "Fine, but I don't trust you and I'll take action if I need to." She told him.

"Same here." He replied.

They stood and went toward the side door. Yzak opened the door and stood to the side, keeping it open. She looked at him oddly and he pushed her in lightly.

"Just because I'm a jerk doesn't mean I can't be a gentlemen." He mumbled at her surprised expression. She smirked to herself as they walked in.

* * *

"Now onto another big topic: Shinn and Luna." Nicol replied.

"Right, I heard that Kira is willing to cooperate and supply the two with funds and any needs they may have for the baby." Lacus said.

"This is Kira's official statement on the matter: Lunamaria Hawke is hereby granted asylum— she will not be harmed by any member of the Bloodlust gang and is considered neutral during her pregnancy. The couple will not be threatened and will be allowed to maintain their relationship throughout the war and period of her pregnancy. It is undecided what actions will be taken once she has the baby, and depends on Cagalli's cooperation. Bloodlust will provide support for Shinn when it comes to the baby, Luna, and their relationship, and as far as the two are concerned, there is a truce." Nicol stated.

Lacus gasped and was taken aback for a moment.

"_A what? Did he just say a truce?"_

"A…a truce?" Lacus asked.

"Just for the two of them. Kira expects Cagalli to treat Shinn the same way he's treating Luna; granting asylum. Shinn will not take part in any major mission if it concerns an attack on Pokitknives directly, and he expects Luna to be excluded in the same way. Neither should be attacked or involved in the war from now on. That is the truce." Nicol responded, repeating Kira's words.

"What?" Shinn shouted as he stood next to Kira, looking at him incredulously. "That's not what you told me earlier! Why can't I participate in any missions? Why didn't you tell Nicol about ending the war when we have the baby?"

Kira waved his arm in a shooing motion as he focused on the conversation, his face serious.

The others gathered around glanced at each other but said nothing.

"_That's…that's rude of him to imply!"_ Cagalli said loudly and Lacus winced a bit. _"If I don't accept those terms I'll look like a jerk, but then again I should have brought this up before." _She continued and sighed. _"Very well, accept the terms. Shinn is also granted asylum and Luna will be pulled from missions involving Bloodlust."_ She told Lacus.

"Um, okay, we—she—accepts the terms of the truce between Shinn and Luna. Shinn is granted asylum and Luna will be pulled from future missions as well concerning Bloodlust." Lacus told Nicol.

He paused for a moment. "You're…not going to tell her first? You're accepting on her behalf?" he asked.

Kira listened intently to Nicol's words and caught the same thing Nicol had.

Lacus froze. _"Shit, you gave it away, quick! Cover! You're accepting them on my behalf because we agreed before I sent you that you would have authority over the issues!"_ Cagalli told her quickly.

"Well, we both agreed that I would have the authority to accept any truces or issues that are brought up, so yes I'm accepting on her behalf." Lacus replied.

The pause was long enough that Kira stood up. "They have a mic and earpiece just like us." He announced and then grabbed his keys.

"You're going?" Athrun asked worriedly. Kira put his hand to his lips and then left the base, getting in his car and making sure the sound of his engine turning on couldn't be heard by Nicol on the other line.

Nicol had hoped that Kira wouldn't realize what he already knew, but it was too late now. He wondered what would happen next.

"_Keep the conversation going, Nicol. Nothing's changed."_ He heard Kira tell him.

"Alright, so that's done. How is Cagalli planning on cooperating then?" Nicol asked before Lacus could grow suspicious.

"She will also allow their relationship to continue without threat and Shinn is considered neutral as well. Pokitknives will provide support for Luna, Shinn, and the baby in accordance to the truce." Lacus replied.

"I'll accept to that, since I was also given authority during the meeting." Nicol told her with a knowing look. Lacus nodded slightly.

"_Nicol," _Kira growled. _"Don't give it away through hints or you'll be considered an official traitor, damnit."_

"Uh, anyway, that's done with as well, let's move on." Nicol replied hastily. Lacus then knew that Kira was also monitoring the situation the same way Cagalli was and grew worried.

Yzak and Shiho were listening in closely in a booth near the table, sitting on the same side so as not to be seen. Yzak glanced at Shiho and she glanced back, then they quickly looked away and back to the table.

"Nicol is…kind of a traitor, isn't he?" Shiho asked quietly. She was on the inside, much to her displeasure, but could still hear clearly with her listening device.

"Yeah. He keeps pushing for peace and a truce to end the war." Yzak replied with a growl.

"Wasn't he one of The Fallen?" she poked casually.

He shot her a look. "I'm not giving you any information." He spat.

She smirked. "Oh, but you already have." She replied smoothly.

"But…that's obvious!" he said a bit loudly.

She shushed him and elbowed him in the ribs, he glared at her and clenched his fists but turned back to listen to the table. She glanced at his arms as his muscles flexed in his anger, to his puffed out chest, veined neck and rigid back…

He glanced back at her because he could feel her staring but she shifted her gaze and kept a serious expression, although he could see a hint of pink on her cheeks. He smirked as he turned back.

She caught his smirk and scowled a bit. _'I hate emotions.'_

"There was a warning from the Reapers we received concerning the events that have taken place in our war that Kira would like to relay to Cagalli, if she hasn't already received the warning." Nicol said.

"_Pretend we don't know, I want to see if he tries to trick us or heard something different."_ Cagalli told Lacus.

"Okay, relay the warning." Lacus replied.

"The beach is off-limits for battles, since it's hurting commerce and tourism by scaring the beach-goers. The Reapers want us to keep gang activity on the down-low since the police were involved in Shinn and Luna's accident." Nicol said.

"_That's what Andy said."_ Cagalli replied.

Lacus nodded. "Understood."

"Now that that's settled, let's get down to the real business here." A new voice interrupted the conversation.

Lacus gasped and leaned back as Nicol's eyes widened and he turned to see Kira standing behind him. The bar had become a bit quieter with his appearance.

"Well, there goes that. I guess I'm no longer needed here." Yzak said and went to leave.

"She's outnumbered, I need to help her." Shiho mumbled to herself and went to follow him.

"Oh no, we're not getting involved. I'm not letting you interfere." He told her.

"Then stop me." She stated and tried to push him out. He grabbed her arm and shoved her back in, then restrained her and held her there as he glanced around the corner. Kira had spotted them but didn't look angry; he could tell Yzak had things under control. Shiho growled and tried to pull her hands away but Yzak was too strong at the moment.

'_What is wrong with me?'_ she asked herself. "Fine, I see how it is, but you can let me go now." She seethed.

"Nope."

Her rage increased but she tried to calm herself down, losing her head now would do no good.

"Nicol, you may leave, I can take it from here." Kira ordered.

"But Kira…" Nicol began and glanced at Lacus who seemed to have recovered from the shock.

"_Lacus? What's going on? Lacus? Is someone else there?"_ Cagalli asked in a worried voice.

Nicol got up and gave Lacus a sheepish look, whispered an apology and headed for the door, glancing back as he went. He noticed Yzak and Shiho and faltered a bit, but then kept going.

Kira sat down in Nicol's chair and reached across the table quickly to take the mic off of Lacus's shirt—close to her breast. She let out a small noise and jumped a bit, her face red at his touch.

"Hello Cagalli." Kira said into the microphone with a smirk.

"_Damnit! How dare he! I swear Kira-!"_ she yelled and Lacus flinched again, taking the earpiece out and rubbing her ear. Kira held out his hand and looked her in the eye and she hesitantly gave him the earpiece, concerned about what would happen next.

Cagalli was still yelling and shouting obscenities when he brought the earpiece close to his ear. "Listen, Cagalli, I'm going to continue this conversation with Lacus in Nicol's stead, since I don't feel he was doing a good enough job." He told her and then disconnected the signal before she could reply.

"Oh my…" Lacus said worriedly.

Kira's serious face grew soft. "It's alright. I didn't hurt you earlier, and I promise I won't hurt you now, alright?" he told her.

She nodded and relaxed a bit.

Yzak watched closely. "Tch, he just wanted more action. That sleaze." He growled.

His grip was loose and so Shiho broke her hands free and again tried to shove him out, but Yzak whipped his arm around and pinned her to the back of the seat, holding her across her chest and placing his hand on the other side of her to keep her from moving forward.

She gasped and this time couldn't hide the blood that rushed to her face as she could feel the tendons in his arm squarely against her breasts. "H-hey!" she exclaimed quietly.

"Ho." He replied with a smirk and she let out an irritated and embarrassed noise. "Don't make me cover your mouth too."

"I'll bite your hand." She snarled.

He looked highly amused as he replied, "Who said I'd use my hand?"

That left Shiho Hahnenfuss silent.

"We didn't really get to talk too much, and I wanted to take a moment to talk more about our feelings." Kira told Lacus.

"Oh, um, okay." She replied.

"You see, we have a rather difficult situation going on between our two gangs." Kira began with a knowing look. Lacus began to grow wary.

* * *

"That's it, I'm going out there." Cagalli snapped and stormed out of the surveillance room after realizing there was no way to get in touch with them through the mic and earpiece.

"But what if it's a trap?" Meyrin asked worriedly.

"That's why I need to go, Lacus is in trouble." Cagalli replied angrily.

"Do you really think Kira will hurt her?" Fllay asked.

"I'm not waiting to find out if he does." Cagalli told her and left.

* * *

"What kind of situation? This meeting is supposed to resolve everything and clear up the confusion." Lacus told him.

"I realize that, but even if we discuss all our issues, there is one that will still be left unspoken." Kira replied with an even look.

"What…what are you trying to say? What issue Kira?" Lacus asked, although she already knew the answer. It was on the tip of everyone's tongue, on everyone's mind, but no one wanted to say it; no one wanted to admit it. It was obvious to everyone, yet couldn't be spoken of. It wasn't allowed. It couldn't be.

"What the hell does he think he's doing?" Yzak asked suspiciously.

Shiho leaned forward, unconsciously pressing herself closer to him as she tried to see around him and the booth to the table. "What's going on, is he hurting her?" she asked.

"No he…uh…" Yzak began but felt the pressure on his arm and glanced over at her. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion at the look he was giving her, and then realized the situation.

"Oh, I just wanted to see…will you cut it out? I won't interfere as long as Lacus is fine." She told him.

"Yeah well I can't let you even if he does hurt her, so chill."

"Let me go."

"No."

"Pervert." She mumbled. She decided that to deal with Yzak, she needed to use her ultimate weapon, just like Cagalli said.

"What!" he exclaimed.

"You just want an excuse to violate my personal space." She said and "hmph"ed.

"No I…that's…what…" he stumbled for words.

"Oh I see, you're gay aren't you? That still doesn't make touching me okay, Yzak. Where are your manners?" she countered.

"I am not gay!" he whispered fiercely. "And what manners? You don't deserve them, you're the enemy!"

"Even enemies can give each other respect."

He growled. "I'll show you respect you…" he mumbled to himself and ignored her.

She managed to slip her arms up and crossed them over her chest, which pushed his arm downward in a controversial spot.

"Now that's going too far." She said darkly. So far her plan was working, and she hoped he would take the bait.

"What are you talking about now?" he asked and whipped around to glare at her. She glared back and cleared her throat, motioning to his hand.

"What?"

She raised an eyebrow and he glanced from her to his hand…

"Hey! How did you get free?"

She had to stop her jaw from dropping open. "That's all you..! Oh you're such an ignorant jerk!" she shouted, but quiet enough not to disturb the others around them.

"How am I an ignorant jerk when you're the most annoying girl I've ever met?" he asked, still not fully realizing what she was implying.

"I'm a woman thank you very much, and I am _not_ annoying!" she replied and leaned forward, making his hand slip farther…

"Woah!" he said and jerked his hand away.

"You…" she snarled and glared.

"That's it, I'm leaving." He announced and got out of the booth, Shiho quickly following, as she could finally see a hint of red on his face.

"Yzak, where do you think you're going? And Shiho, why don't you join us?" Kira called, barely even looking over at them until he was finished talking.

Yzak scowled and glared at her but walked over to the table, grabbed a chair, and swiveled it around so that he could sit in it backwards, grumbling the whole time.

Shiho maintained her composure and kept her eye on Kira as she walked calmly and sat next to Lacus, glancing at her and exchanging a quick nod. Shiho and Yzak were now facing each other as Lacus and Kira were, and the bar got even quieter. People moved away or started to leave. The bartender glanced over at them.

"Like I was saying. As you see from these two, this…thing…is spreading like a disease."

"Kira," Lacus said.

He smiled and glanced quickly at Yzak who raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"We both know I love you and you love me. Shinn and Luna love each other, Milly and Dearka are chomping at the bit to get back together, Athrun and Cagalli don't have the guts to admit their true feelings even though everybody knows-,"

"Everybody knows what, Kira?" Cagalli interrupted as she stood to the side of him, away from Yzak. The man started to stand but Kira stopped him.

"So nice of you to join us as well, Cagalli." He said smoothly, not looking at her.

"Oh don't worry; this isn't an ambush because you're not outnumbered. I found Nicol in the parking lot and asked him to escort me in." she told him and Nicol appeared as she walked over to where Lacus was sitting.

Nicol slowly sat down next to Kira who was giving him a cold look, with Yzak glaring at him from the other side. He shrugged and looked at them apologetically.

Cagalli took Lacus's seat and Lacus sat across from Nicol, glancing at Kira hesitantly as he followed his sister's movements. It was three on three again, and the pairs faced off.

It was silent in the bar, the music had stopped playing, the conversations had stopped, and the pool table showed no signs of life. Cagalli motioned to Jerry and things resumed normally, somewhat.

"Sorry for interrupting, now what were you saying?" Cagalli asked casually as she stared off with her brother.

He let a smirk come across his features. "I was saying that everyone knows we're in a dilemma here, but no one wants to talk about it."

"Spit it out Kira."

"Love."

The table paused as they stared at each other evenly. Yzak furrowed his eyebrows and glanced at Kira.

"I think you hit your head too hard. What the hell are you _talking_ about?" Yzak asked.

"You're such an idiot. Even _I_ can see where he's going with this." Shiho replied.

"I am not!"

"Disrespectful child." She muttered and he went to stand but Kira held out his hand. Yzak growled and continued glaring at her who glared back.

"Alright, I see what you mean. We're all falling in love with each other. What's your point?" Cagalli replied, ignoring them.

"My point is we need to do something about it before we have more cases like Shinn and Luna." He said and leaned forward.

"Like what?" she asked.

He simply looked at her with a knowing expression. She narrowed her eyes but said nothing.

"You've got me here like you wanted, now what did you want to say?" she finally said, getting tired of playing games.

"I felt that some of our issues needed to be discussed through the two of us, not others." Kira finally said.

"Go ahead."

"I found your cameras and the sweep, Cagalli."

"We found yours."

"Spyware truce?"

"Deal."

"That wasn't so bad now was it?"

She glared.

"How did you know about the job?"

"Why do you think I'd tell you if I didn't tell Athrun?"

"Because I'm not in love with you like he is." He replied and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I see what you're getting at. We're all falling in love, which means we're losing the ability to fight each other, which means sooner or later…"

"…this war will be over because we'll no longer have the will to fight. But then we'll both be losers." He finished.

"How's that?"

"Let's not get off topic. Did the Reapers tip you off?" he asked again.

She pursed her lips with her arms crossed over her chest, leaning back in her chair.

"Fine, no, they didn't. Is that what you were worried about?"

"I didn't want to have to deal with them betraying us now. However, I'm not worried anymore. But still…how did you know?"

"We have our sources, just like you have yours. Let's just leave it at that." She told him.

He paused for a moment as they continued locking eyes.

"Fine."

"Kira!" Yzak said.

"Drop it. They won't tell us and it doesn't matter at this point."

"Yes it does!" Yzak replied angrily.

"What matters is that you took half our shipment."

"So it _was_ yours!" Cagalli exclaimed smugly.

"We didn't know until later on, but yes." Kira replied and then leaned closer again. "And since you took half of ours, that means you don't get your package."

The look he was giving her made her freeze and narrow her eyes again. "What do you mean, 'our package'?"

"Mwu was the one that gave us that job, as a Reaper-," Kira began.

"Do you plan on telling her everything?" Yzak butted in.

"Shut it, Yzak."

He snapped his mouth shut but glared at his leader.

"Like I was saying…since Mwu was giving us that, we know that Andy had also planned on giving you some surprise toys as well. But now that you've taken some of our share, they won't give you any more or else it'll tip the scales."

"So you want us to give you back the rest of your share so that we can get ours, then we'll have double what we have now." Cagalli stated.

"I thought the fighting would end?" Lacus said quietly, looking to Kira. He glanced at her but said nothing. Nicol also glanced at him.

Yzak smirked.

"I don't like it." Cagalli said.

"You don't want more power?"

"We'd be equal."

"Yes, but we'd have more, which means we wouldn't run out as soon and won't have to worry about replenishing again for a while."

Cagalli sighed. "I don't trust you Kira. How can you expect me to just hand you more weapons and ammo just because you said we'd be getting some too?"

"Because Mwu told me, and I promise not to interfere in your pick-up if you agree to give us back what we rightly deserve."

Nicol and Yzak both whirled to look at Kira with incredulous looks, but Yzak was too shocked to voice his disapproval.

"You want…to end all the spyware: no cameras, sweeps, microphones, and more, and you also want to end interference with jobs? Is this meeting going to end in a peace treaty or what? Because that's what it looks like." Cagalli told him angrily as her patience grew thin.

He looked confident. "No, I just want to end the sabotage. We've captured each other, we've spied on each other, we've stolen from each other…that's not what this war is about and you know it. I want to bring things back to the basic roots. I'm tired of all these petty issues causing problems and distorting the situation. We have unfinished business, and we keep getting distracted by all this 'he said, she said' bullshit."

Her eyes widened. Lacus was astounded at this new Kira before her; he was totally different from the man she spoke with earlier. Shiho had to admit that this guy had some pretty big balls with the way he was talking, and she realized he could back up everything he was saying.

"Finally." Yzak mumbled.

"Yes Yzak. Let's go back to what this was really about: fighting and winning."

"So you're choosing his side, then?" Nicol asked before Cagalli could reply, giving Kira a look that was indecipherable.

"If I do, would you join them?" Kira asked back.

"Yes." He replied evenly, with no hesitation, guilt, or regret.

Cagalli glanced at her girls and they exchanged puzzled looks.

"Traitor! Kira, we have to-,"

"I'm not. I'm doing what needs to be done. You're not getting out of this that easily, Amarfi."

"I'm not trying to, Yamato. I just want to prevent what happened with The Fallen." He countered.

"Boys, if you're done having your lover's spat, can we get on with this?" Cagalli replied sarcastically before things got out of hand.

"What do you say Cagalli? No spyware, no interference."

"If you want it that badly, then fine, we'll go down to the essentials."

"Cagalli, you realize all we'll have is our fighting strength." Shiho whispered to her.

"I know." She replied, not taking her eyes off Kira.

"I don't think that's enough."

"Which brings us back to what you brought up earlier, Kira. What to do about the love bug going around." Cagalli replied.

"Easy Cagalli, simply surrender to us." He declared.

She burst out laughing. "You've got to be kidding me!" she exclaimed.

His lips twitched in amusement and he shrugged.

"Nice try, bro, but it's not quite that easy." She replied, still laughing.

"Then since all we're depending on is fighting, I'm issuing a challenge." He said, which quickly slowed her laughter.

"Oh really, what kind of challenge?"

"We'll fight…for love."

* * *

**-Author's Note: Aaaaand scene! This is…the longest chapter I think I've ever written for a fanfiction. I feel like this whole thing was pure genius, like I had no part in it and was just letting the ideas flow…oh wait, that's what happened. Was everyone able to follow the rollercoaster ride? If you have no idea what was happening, feel free to ask and I'll explain. I think I finally know how this fic is going to end and where it's heading, yay happy endings! Oh, and now the theme song for Dragon Ball Z Kai is stuck in my head, which oddly matches great with this chapter. **

**One last thing: (starts singing) Yzak and Shiho sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes **_**love**_**, then comes – (is shot)….ow…that wasn't very nice guys…**

**Peace out, expect the next chapter soon, I promise!-**


	40. Ch 40: We're All Gonna Get In a Fight!

**Chapter 40: We're All Gonna Get In A Fight!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Gundam Seed Destiny. I only own the plot of this fanfiction and the gang names. "So What?" belongs to P!nk (the titles of the last two chapters and lyric for this chapter title).**

* * *

"_Then since all we're depending on is fighting, I'm issuing a challenge." He said, which quickly slowed her laughter._

"_Oh really, what kind of challenge?"_

"_We'll fight…for love."_

She quickly sobered but was on the verge of losing it again. "Say what?"

He sighed and got serious again. "Look Cagalli, by now I know you had an operation going on that involved flirting with us and trying to trick us into falling in love with you. However, we were planning the same thing with Operation: Lust. It looks like we came out as equals, since we all fell in love anyway. So I propose we stick with what we have instead of ripping each other apart and ruining our relationships."

"So…you want us to start dating each other?" Cagalli asked.

"Yes. It's inevitable, Cagalli; we shouldn't fight _love_, we should fight each other _for_ love." He told her.

"Have you…completely lost your mind?" she exclaimed and stood. "I mean, this…this is just…unbelievable!"

"See what I mean?" he asked in a rather husky voice.

Cagalli looked at Lacus who seemed to be in a trance. "Alright, you've made your point, now explain this." She demanded, slamming her hands down on the table so that she was level with him.

"Here are the rules: each couple must begin the courting process, and when they realize their love, one must surrender to the other, just like in a real fight. Whichever side has captured the most hearts wins, and this war is over. Take it or leave it. It's either that or we all kill each other." He explained and shrugged.

"Well, what about those who don't have a couple? What about Fllay and Stellar?" Cagalli asked, trying to let this all sink in. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense, and the more she wanted it, but she knew he was tricking her, she could feel it.

But if it would stop the fighting, all the pain…

There was something sinister in his eyes, and she knew that this was the catch. "That's another part of the fighting process. Everyone is open to attack—I mean, love,—which means if Fllay would like to pursue me she should try her hardest to win me over before Lacus does; same with Shinn and Stellar. The ones who aren't in a couple must either choose to fight each other or help the ones who _are_ in a couple to get one side to surrender."

She sat down and thought it over for a moment, taking in his words and weighing all the options. She looked to her girls and they looked unsure, and she glanced at Nicol and Yzak who seemed surprised. Obviously Kira had just recently thought of this and didn't tell his gang…unless he had been planning this all along. He _did_ admit to having Operation: Lust in action while they had Operation: Heartbreak in action, although he could be bluffing just to weasel the information out of her. She would need to confirm this with someone else, someone who wasn't sitting at the same table…

"This is a lot to take in. I'll need to discuss this with the others and think it over before I make any more rash decisions. I still don't trust you, Kira, and I don't know what you're scheming, but you won't get away with sweeping in and stealing this. Is there anything else we need to discuss and clear up?" she finally answered.

"To sum everything up: this war isn't over, in fact, it may be just beginning. And I'm still pissed. That's about it." Kira replied and shrugged again nonchalantly.

Cagalli noticed Yzak give him a look, so she knew he was holding out on them. She shot a quick glance at Shiho who had also caught the look between the two.

"Very well then, this meeting is over. We're leaving." Cagalli replied and got up, motioning for the girls to do the same.

"How and when will you let me know your decision?" Kira asked, still sitting.

"I'll call you in a day or so with my final word. If you make any move before then, I'll take that as an aggressive action and your offer will be void." She told him.

"So I'm not allowed to do anything while you mull things over? That might get boring." He replied sarcastically.

"Deal with it."

Shiho and Lacus followed her out, Lacus casting one more glance at Kira, and Shiho shooting a look towards Yzak before they exited the bar. The air around the place seemed to lift and the tension began to smooth out.

"Kira…do you mind explaining what just happened?"

"Well Yzak, when Athrun and I were discussing things I came up with this plan. I realized that the only way to win this war at this point in time would be to use our greatest weapon."

"Our dicks?"

"…" Kira shot him an odd look before he could find the words to reply. "No…our hearts you…strange man…"

"Kira…if it's okay with you, I'd like to opt myself out of this crazy venture of yours." Nicol replied, his face white.

"Nope, no one gets to opt out. Either develop a crush for one of the girls or fight. Unless you're gay…then I suppose that's the only way to opt out." Kira told him.

"But wait," Yzak burst before Nicol could reply, "how did you come up with this _brilliant_ solution anyway? Was this Athrun's idea? If it is I'm kicking him out myself!"

"No, it was mine, because I began to understand that we could use our relationships to our advantage. If we get the girls wrapped around our fingers so that they surrender, we'll have won more than just a war between gangs. Besides, it would be pointless to try and keep fighting when half of us are in love. Like Cagalli noted, before long we'd lose the will to fight and be stuck. This is the only way to win this with fighting, but to ensure peace. Technically, I took both your ideas and combined them into one."

"Yeah but can't we actually _fight_ them? You know, for domination or something? Or, like with the whore and psycho chick, why not have them fight each other for you guys? I mean, how are we supposed to fight for love?" Yzak asked.

Kira gave him a knowing look that made Yzak a bit uneasy. "They'll probably end up fighting internally anyway, which is another tactic I plan on using to our advantage. And I'm sure you'll figure it out, Yzak."

"But I don't have anyone."

Kira and Nicol both looked at Yzak like he had lost his mind.

"What?"

"Yzak, this mission is very important; so man up, admit your feelings, and get Shiho to surrender to you." Kira stated and got up, leaving the silver-haired man speechless.

Nicol shrugged and followed his leader out, still looking a bit dazed at the outcome of the meeting. Yzak sat still for a moment, sighed, and then also left.

As he walked out of the bar he was quickly pulled aside, and before he knew what was going on he felt lips on his…

* * *

Athrun paced the hallway. "What's going on? How come every single meeting gets screwed up? Why can't things just go according to plan?" he muttered.

"Athrun…why are you talking to yourself?" Shinn asked.

"Because Kira has a lot of explaining to do."

"Yes he does. I don't know what he's planning, but it better be worth all this crap." Shinn responded.

"Trust me, it is." Kira said as he appeared behind him.

Shinn jumped and whirled around with a fierce expression. "Damnit quit sneaking up on me!" he yelled.

Kira had an amused look on his face as he fought the urge to laugh. He ruffled Shinn's hair, who protested loudly, and confronted Athrun who also looked displeased and worried.

"Mind telling me what that was all about?" the bluenette asked with a tired expression.

"I only did what we were talking about earlier, about the love thing." Kira replied.

"You what?" Athrun exclaimed. "Kira, you seriously…"

This time Kira couldn't help but to laugh. "Cagalli said she'd need some time to think about it, but I feel she'll come around. This means you need to work on wooing her."

"But Kira…"

"Athrun, if you surrender to her, I'll kick you out. I mean it."

"Yeah but…I thought we were going to wait…I mean…this is really…fast…" Athrun protested.

"Too late now. I know you're worried, but this is our only option now. We can't keep going on the path we're on, we have to change things if we ever want to end this war _and_ achieve peace." Kira told him.

"What did the others think?" Athrun asked.

"Yzak and Nicol were there with me, while Lacus and Shiho were with Cagalli-," Kira began.

"Wait, what was Yzak doing there? And Shiho?" Athrun asked quickly, looking confused.

"I sent him ahead of Nicol to scope things out. You didn't really think I'd send him _alone_ did you? Not only is he a risk factor, but he could've been ambushed. I'm assuming Cagalli was thinking the same thing by sending Shiho, although Yzak looked to have the situation under control. Speaking of…when we were driving here he was oddly silent and had this distant look on his face. Maybe it's because I told him to man up and get Shiho to surrender…" Kira said as he mulled things over.

"What?" Athrun exclaimed again. "Kira, you're starting to give me a headache. Why didn't you tell me you were sending Yzak? And why him? And what about him and Shiho?"

"Oh get over it, Athrun. I needed to boost his morale and knew that he would get the job done if need be. Now, though, it seems we have one more recruit for the Love Games."

"Kira…"

Kira sighed. "Pay attention now, Athrun. What you told me about the job got me thinking, and beforehand I had ordered Yzak to get more information on the new girl, whose name is Shiho Hahnenfuss. Since I knew there was a budding connection, I decided to send him out since I assumed Cagalli would send Shiho, plus Yzak had a tracer on her from the battle—he inserted it while fighting, don't ask—so I figured that if the two of them met up again the sparks would fly. Now I'm counting on him to make Shiho surrender just like I'm counting on you to make Cagalli surrender."

Athrun was silent for a moment. "I…need some rest." He finally concluded and disappeared into his room. Kira chuckled a bit at his friend's bafflement.

He gathered Shinn, Rey, and Dearka and explained to them what happened and what the new plan was. Nicol and Yzak had also disappeared into their rooms and didn't show signs of contributing anytime soon, so he was actually thankful that Cagalli asked for extra time so that his own crew could get their wits back and be able to strategize.

"So what do you expect me to do? I'm not about to fall for any of those girls, so don't even bother asking me. Also, we're outnumbered by one girl, so how does that figure into your plans?" Rey asked.

"You can help the others get the girls to surrender. Threaten them if you have to; gather useful information on them that the guys could use. We're all going to be a part of this, so why don't you and Nicol work together and see what you can come up with. Right now there should be five couples, so that should give us an advantage." Kira told him.

He didn't look too happy but sighed and nodded his assent before going off to find Nicol. Dearka looked excited and was practically jumping up and down.

"So I get to date Milly again?" he squealed.

"Yes…just get her to surrender. We need to win this or I'll feel like a fool. Same goes for you, Shinn." Kira said. He lingered on Shinn as Dearka hooted and hollered, running around the base in sheer happiness. He wondered what the boy would do, and if he would make things difficult.

"Kira…I'm not so sure about this."

"What? You're the whole reason we have to do this!"

Shinn winced a bit. "Yeah but…"

"Shinn…"

"Alright fine. I should talk to her…" he mumbled and went into his room.

Kira was left alone to wonder if he had truly gone insane or was an absolute genius.

* * *

"He…what?" Fllay asked and blinked.

"I…can't believe he'd do this!" Milly said.

"That's it, I give up, he's completely bonkers. I say we take them now before he joins the circus too." Meyrin added.

"Well…it _is_ kind of what we were thinking anyway." Cagalli replied.

"Yeah but he's incorporating this into our war! This is just another way for him to confuse the hell out of us and pull the rug out from under our feet so he can make off with our territory while we're sitting around trying to figure out what just happened." Meyrin told her.

"Now I'm even more confused." Stellar whined.

"But wait…he's trying to get us to fight with each other. He's trying to pit me against Lacus and Luna against Stellar so we destroy ourselves from the inside while he sits back and watches! That little sneak…since when did he get so manipulative?" Fllay said and growled.

"Look, we just need to work together-," Cagalli tried to explain.

"Well if he's fair game then I'm going after him! Sorry Lacus, but this bad boy is all mine!" Fllay declared with a smirk.

"What? But Fllay you can't-,"

"Oh yes I can!" she interrupted Lacus.

"Then Stellar is going after Shinn!" Stellar also declared.

"But Luna's having a baby with him! There's no way he'd pick you!" Meyrin yelled.

"I guess this means I get to date Dearka again…" Milly mused.

Meyrin and Stellar were yelling at each other over who Shinn would pick between Stellar and Luna, while Luna was trying to get them to calm down. Lacus was trying to talk Fllay out of going after Kira, but the girl refused to listen. Shiho remained calm while Milly decided to call Dearka.

"Wait a minute…we haven't even decided…" Cagalli was saying, trying to get the girls to settle down. This was what she had feared, and she hated Kira for throwing this on her the way he did.

"Cagalli…this isn't going so well. But I'm afraid we have no other choice but to accept his plan, unless he gives us an excuse to fight, which I doubt. He wants this badly, so we might as well give it to him. Let's just hope we can win it from him." Shiho told her.

"If the girls don't quit fighting we'll have already lost." Cagalli replied.

"It only matters if they surrender, it doesn't really matter _who_ they surrender to. He didn't say the two people need to actually be in or stay in a relationship. Trust me, there are always loopholes."

Cagalli sighed. "You're right I guess…but…"

The girls were starting to get out of control as their arguments turned heated. There was so much noise Cagalli could barely think, and her patience finally burst.

"SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME!" she screamed so loud that the girls instantly grew quiet. "This is exactly what Kira wants: us fighting amongst each other! We can't give him the satisfaction of tearing ourselves apart! Besides, I'm still not convinced we can win this if we accept his plan. If you really want to do this, we need to work on a plan and cooperate with each other!"

"Cagalli, I'm sick and tired of being told that I can't date Kira. 'He's the enemy', 'He's the Godfather', 'He's supposed to be with Lacus', 'He's too dangerous', blah, blah, blah! If we do this I'm not holding back, and whoever he chooses wins!" Fllay told her.

"Fine then, this can be _friendly_ competition, since it'll mess him up too, having to decide between the two of you. But whoever he choose, the other person must accept that! I don't want us fighting with each other, so focus on him and DON'T sabotage the other girl, does everyone understand me?" Cagalli ordered.

"Yes ma'am!"

"But Cagalli…if Shinn chooses Stellar…" Luna began.

"I know, Luna, let's just hope…" Cagalli sighed. "Try not to worry about it. If he truly loves you like he said he does, there should be no doubts."

"But I like Shinn too! Can't I get what I want?" Stellar asked.

Cagalli wasn't sure what to say to make them all happy. She vowed to kick Kira in the balls the next time she saw him for proper payback. She knew she would have a problem as well since Meyrin would most likely go after Athrun.

Athrun. Oh lord, what the hell was she going to do about Athrun?

She decided not to think about that at the moment, choosing instead to focus on the problems at hand. She needed to figure out a way to get around Kira's roadblock he so graciously dropped in front of them. Jerk.

"Look, Stellar, if he likes you back, then fine, but if he doesn't and chooses Luna then you have to accept that. It just means he's not the one, and that there's someone else out there for you."

"He'll choose Luna because she's having his baby, because he's obligated to." Meyrin said rather forcefully.

"He already told me that he loved me, we shouldn't have to go through this." Luna stated.

Stellar looked on the verge of tears, and Cagalli didn't know what to do or say. _'Damn you Kira. I'll make _him_ fix it…'_ she thought.

"We may not follow his rules; we could just as easily set our own. He wants this to be a fight, so if he doesn't surrender in love, make him surrender in battle." She finally concluded. She didn't want to have to go down this road, but it was the only path around his block. Kira would just have to deal with the consequences.

"Does that mean I have to fight him?" Stellar asked.

"If he doesn't fall in love, then yes. We have to do whatever it takes to get them to surrender." Cagalli responded.

"For all of them?" Fllay asked, a gleam in her eyes.

Cagalli sighed. "Yes."

This was going to be rough.

* * *

"_Hello?"_ Luna finally answered.

"Hey, it's me, Shinn." Shinn replied with a small smile. He wondered what the girls were going through and doing at the moment, and was worried about how they might respond to Kira's plan.

"_Oh, hey, what's up?"_ she asked.

"Uh…well…have you heard about the new plan?" he asked, completely unsure of how he was going to do this. He felt very awkward trying to get his pregnant girlfriend to surrender to him. _'Damn that Kira, I'm gonna kick him in the balls.'_ He thought angrily.

"_You mean the battle for love? I'm not sure what he's thinking on that, or what he may be scheming. I'm really worried, Shinn."_ She replied. She was thinking of how to go about this situation delicately. She knew what she had to do, because it was the only thing to do, but she wasn't sure how she would do it. It's not like she could just come out and say it…

Actually…that was a good idea…

"Yeah…I'm not too sure what's going on inside his head either. Look, I don't want you to worry about it because-,"

"_I surrender."_

He paused as her words sunk in. She just blurted it out. How could she do that? Why would she surrender? He was thinking about surrendering, if not for the fact that Kira would kill him if he did, but…

"Um…okay?"

"_I'm not going to fight you, and I don't want to fight Stellar over you. Plus, I don't want you to have to surrender to me, I know Kira would be angry and…well…men with their pride…"_

"I…well thanks, Luna. You didn't have to do that, but thanks. Now that that foolishness is over and done with, we can get down to real business." He said and chuckled.

"_Yeah, now we don't have to worry about anything, especially since we're on a truce and have asylum from both gangs. We should be able to do whatever we want now without worrying about Kira or Cagalli, or the rest of them for that matter."_

"Yeah, so anyway…" he began as they started talking about the baby and their future. He didn't think things would be this easy, or that Kira would let them off the hook this early in the game. He only hoped this was the end of all the craziness for them.

* * *

Athrun was lying on his back in his bed, his arms supporting his hand as he stared up at the ceiling. He had no idea what to think of everything that had happened. He was still digesting what happened at the meeting, and now he was slammed with Kira's new idea. They had talked about something along those lines, but Kira never told him of his intention to start some kind of Love Game…

What the hell was he going to do?

He jumped as the cell phone in his pocket started vibrating. He glanced at the caller i.d. and stared at it for the moment. _'What the…'_

"Hello?" he answered hesitantly.

"_We need to talk."_

"About…?"

"_Don't play dumb, you know what about."_

"Okay, and? I'm listening."

"_Let's not do this over the phone. Meet me at the docks tomorrow around noon."_

Athrun wasn't sure whether to accept or not. He hesitated as he thought of everything that had happened lately, and decided to just chance it.

"Um, sure, alright."

"_And come alone. I'll be alone as well, promise."_

"Fine…see you then."

"_Bye."_

Before he could reply the line had gone dead. He looked at his phone for a moment and contemplated what he had just gotten himself into.

* * *

"So how'd it go?" Kira asked when Shinn hung up. He narrowed his eyes at the boy's smile.

"Huh?" Shinn asked.

"Did you get her?"

"Did I…what?"

Kira scowled at him. Shinn blinked.

"Oh! The…love thingy…game…thingy."

"Yes."

"Uh…she surrendered already." Shinn told him, still looking surprised.

"Really? Good job, that was fast." Kira replied, no longer scowling.

"But…Cagalli hasn't exactly agreed yet." Shinn replied.

"We all know she will, she's just trying to find loopholes." Kira replied and then paused. "Wait…how did you get her to surrender so quickly?"

"Uh…"

Kira narrowed his eyes again. "You were going to surrender first but she beat you to it, right?"

Shinn replied with a sheepish grin as he scratched the back of his head, still looking confused. Kira glared at him, and then sighed.

"I guess it doesn't really matter. It still counts. Bloodlust: one, Pokitknives: zero." He replied.

He went into the living room with a pad of paper and a pencil, taped it to the wall, and wrote down the tally.

"Shinn got her already? She probably just didn't feel like dealing with his lame attempts." Yzak remarked.

"So have you gotten any ideas yet?" Kira asked a bit defensively.

"….no…."

"Then shoo."

Yzak scowled but went into the kitchen. "Hey…where's the food? ATHRUN! MAKE ME FOOD DAMNIT!" he yelled.

Athrun, being the best cook out of all of them, was designated the chef of the base. Yzak would do it, just for himself, except he always burned whatever he was making…even water…

"Quit yelling you slob!" Athrun called and came into the kitchen. "I'm not your maid, so ask nicely."

"Hell no! Get to cookin'!"

"Say 'please'."

"Do it or I'll kick your ass!"

"That's not very nice."

"ATHRUN!"

Kira rubbed his temples and sighed as Athrun continued teasing Yzak while the man kept getting angrier, now attempting to throw cooking utensils at the bluenette and shouting obscenities.

"What's with the yelling?" Dearka asked as he poked his head around the corner.

"Just Athrun and Yzak, as usual." Kira replied.

"Oh…well I'm off." Dearka said quickly and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Kira asked expectantly.

Dearka glanced at him and the door. "Out."

Kira gave him a pointed look and continued looking expectant.

"…with Milly."

"Well…that…was fast."

"What?"

"Let's make this two and oh, then." Kira replied.

"Two?"

"Luna already surrendered to Shinn." Kira told him.

"Has Cagalli agreed already?" Dearka asked with a puzzled expression.

"Not exactly…but it doesn't matter."

"Well, we're just going to date. We'll deal with your love game later." Dearka replied.

"What? No, hurry up and-,"

"'Kay bye!" Dearka called as he closed the door.

"Hey!" Kira called back, but it was too late. He scowled again at the door, miffed that Dearka would ignore him like that. He began to wonder whether this was a bad idea after all. They'd probably forget about the surrender part and just screw each other.

"Oh," he heard Shinn say and then felt a sharp kick to the groin. "That's for being a bastard and making me feel awkward as I tried to get my pregnant girlfriend to surrender."

"Ow! Hey!" Kira cried out and whirled around.

"No tag backs!" Shinn called as he bolted for his room and shut the door quickly.

Kira grumbled to himself and half-hobbled to a chair. "Brat."

* * *

"Luna! I haven't even agreed yet!" Cagalli exclaimed when she heard the news.

"Well…I couldn't let Stellar get to him first. I had to, Cagalli." Luna replied.

Cagalli sighed and rubbed her face. "Alright fine. I still don't like this. We need to get organized and start planning before I tell him."

"I know, but we wanted to be free of all this, and with this new plan Stellar would still be able to go after Shinn."

"Okay Cags I'm heading out!" Milly called before Cagalli could reply to Luna's comment.

"What? Where?" she asked and went into the living room where Milly was opening the door.

"On a date with Dearka. Bye." She said and walked out.

"Wait, get back here! We haven't finalized things yet!" Cagalli called after her but the door was shut in her face. "Oh great…" she mumbled.

"What else do we need to finalize?" Meyrin asked.

Cagalli glanced at her and hesitated. She didn't want to confront Meyrin yet because she wasn't sure what her intentions were, so she didn't say anything about Athrun. "Well, Fllay and Lacus need to discuss their plan for Kira. I don't want them fighting each other over him. I know he'd love it, but it would only tear us apart and do more harm than anything. Plus, we need to figure out what to do about Rey and Nicol. We had already planned to continue Operation: heartbreak but with new terms, and now this…Kira…I am _so_ gonna kick you in the balls for this…" she muttered.

"Good luck with that…" Meyrin replied doubtfully.

"Thanks." Cagalli replied sarcastically.

"I don't see those two playing nice with each other. And I don't think he'll just let you kick him I the nuts." She replied and shrugged.

"But what do we do about Rey and Nicol?"

Meyrin only shrugged again and went off somewhere else.

"Ugh. What a mess."

"Have you made any plans yet, Cagalli?" Shiho asked her.

"Kind of…hopefully it'll work." She said with a doubtful expression. "What about you?"

"I'm waiting until he comes for me. I don't chase. If he wants me, he can come and get me." She replied matter-of-factly.

Cagalli's eyes widened for a moment. "Are you…sure he wants you?" she asked, wondering how she could sound so confident. This was Yzak they were talking about. Everyone thought he was secretly gay…or hated women…

"Oh yeah," Shiho said, turning and flipping her hair back off her shoulder. "He wants me."

"Well okay then…"

* * *

"Dinner's ready!" Athrun called.

"Finally! Took you long enough you asshole." Yzak growled and went to grab a plate.

Athrun blocked his hand with the spatula. "Ah ah, say 'thank you' first."

Yzak only glared at him.

"Well you can't _demand_ that I cook you food, call me names, and not even say 'please' or 'thank you'." Athrun said with a matter-of-fact look on his face.

"Of course I can, now gimme the food." Yzak replied.

"I feel underappreciated."

"Get over it!"

"Yzak, I'm hungry! Just thank him or something so we can all eat!" Shinn whined, behind Yzak in line for the food.

"Shut up you twerp! You thank him!" Yzak yelled.

"Yzak, I order you to thank Athrun for cooking you the food." Kira growled as his stomach backed him up.

Yzak scowled but turned back to the expectant Athrun. He even had an apron on. "Fine, _thank you_, Zala, for doing your job and cooking the food. NOW GIMME!"

"You still haven't said please."

"Athrun give him the damn food!"

The bluenette chuckled and allowed access to the food on the kitchen counter, taking his plate to the table and digging in. "Mmmmmm, this is good, if I do say so myself." He moaned and smiled with his eyes closed.

"CURSE YOU ZALA!"

* * *

"So do you think this war is over now?" Milly asked Dearka and sipped her drink.

"Who knows? I give up on figuring this out. Let's just do our own thing and not worry about them." Dearka said and flashed a smile.

Milly giggled and smiled back. "Yeah. They knew they couldn't stop us from dating, so now it's like they're practically forcing us too!" she laughed.

"That's fine with me, babe." Dearka smirked and they clinked glasses.

"But seriously, are you gonna surrender or what?"

* * *

**-Author's Note: Another long one, yay! I'm on a roll; expect yet another chapter coming out soon! I have big plans…really big plans…mischievous plans…involving one of your favorite couples! Please review and let me know what you think: comments, questions, ideas, etc. are welcome. Please note the M rating, things may get a bit…mature around here (or they could get immature too, as this whole chapter was, lol). Peace out!-**


	41. Chapter 41: The Island

**Chapter 41: The Island**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own anything except the fan-made fiction details.**

**Athrun: (looks at the title) Hmmm, wonder what this will be about…**

**Me: Hehehehehe… (evil look)**

**Cagalli: At least it isn't a song…wait…there's something vaguely familiar about this…**

**Me: MUWAHAHA!**

**WARNING:**** Mature content follows, meaning strong language and sexual references/themes/actions. Rated M for a reason…read at your own risk!**

* * *

"_But seriously, are you gonna surrender or what?"_

Dearka blinked. "What? Me?"

"Yeah you." Milly replied with a serious face. She didn't appear to be joking, and she was starting to look less and less friendly.

"I thought this was just a…date…"

"It is, but if you _really_ loved me and cared about me then you'd surrender when Cagalli accepts Kira's plan." Milly stated.

"But…"

"Do it, Elsman."

"Okay…"

* * *

Lacus sighed and tried to push back the tears. After working so hard and fighting so much, she could lose Kira just that quickly. She thought they were behind all this. She thought Fllay understood.

She loved Kira, and Kira loved her; at least he said he did. She had just "got his attention" with that show, and now Fllay was going to take him away. She knew he would choose Fllay: she was prettier, more manipulative, had more to offer, and he had a crush on her for a long time; before he met Lacus.

She glanced at her phone and considered calling him, but she didn't know what to say. What could she say? How was she going to fight for him, for his love? This was going all wrong. She had finally gotten the nerve to make him notice her, finally admitted her feelings, and now she felt crushed. When he showed up at the meeting, she could barely breathe—she wasn't sure if he was going to hurt her, and that everything he had said and done before was a lie, or if he was truly sincere; and even _that_ scared her.

Because if he _did_ love her, what would she do? He was the enemy, even with this "Love War" he planned up. And what was he trying to do with this new scheme, should she trust him? Cagalli was most likely going to agree, she had to, unless they came up with something else.

So how was she going to make the enemy Godfather surrender?

* * *

Fllay had it all planned out. Kira was hers; there was no way he'd choose Lacus, at least not for long. He had a hard-on for her even _before_ he became Bloodlust's leader, but when that pink-haired princess came prancing in he suddenly wanted a girl with morals. What was up with that?

She knew it was just a phase he was going through; she knew he would eventually come back to her. He had to. Or he would die. Simple as that.

It wouldn't be hard; she wouldn't have to try very much. As long as he was over that weird Shinn phase and done with his Lacus phase, this would be easy. Besides, getting together with him in the beginning was easy, all she had to do was flirt a little and lie a bit, and _snap!,_ he was at her fingertips. He was following her around like a love sick puppy, trying to _protect_ her from the other boys that were ogling her, and the other gangs that wanted her to join and be their gang whore.

"_Oh Kira, please protect me!"_

"_Oh Kira, please fight for me!"_

"_Oh Kira, please kill for me!"_

"_Ohhhhh Kiraaaaa…"_

She sighed in contentment over the happy memories. She was determined to get them back and put her life back on track. _She_ was the top bitch, not Lacus. She was the only one allowed to date Kira Yamato—the most dangerous man in the world.

* * *

Kira sat at his desk, lost in thought. He didn't know what this feeling was—no, he knew what it was, but he didn't know why he was feeling it…or…still feeling it.

"Gah!" he let out his frustration and slammed his fists on his desk. He sighed and put his head in his hands.

'_I can't stop thinking about him. I thought I was over him! He's with Luna, he's having a baby with her, so these feelings should be gone. Go away feelings! Shoo! Leave me alone!' _he thought and couldn't stop the images.

"Kira?"

"Gah! Now I'm hearing his voice in my head!"

"Uh…Kira?"

'_This can't be happening; I need to be focused on Lacus! Think of Lacus…her smile, her voice, her chest…his ass…'_

"Nyah!" he shouted and shook his head.

"KIRA!" Shinn yelled and slammed his hands down.

Kira jolted upward and then calmed himself. "Oh, sorry…"

"Are you alright?" Shinn asked and tilted his head to the side. _'Is he blushing?'_ he asked himself and peered closer.

"Uh...yeah…umm…Shinn? What…?"

"Hmm?"

He didn't realize he was so close; he blinked and noticed he was only inches from Kira's face. Kira's _red_ face.

"Oh!" he exclaimed and jumped back. "Sorry, I….just wanted to let you know that Luna and I are going to her doctor tomorrow, you know, baby stuff."

He caught a look on Kira's face that was almost sadness, or was it jealousy? He started moving forward to see better but stopped himself. _'Just let it go, Shinn, you have a woman with child to worry about.'_

"Oh, okay." Even his voice sounded disheartened, almost disappointed.

"Is something wrong?" he dared to ask.

Kira wouldn't look at him. "No, I'm fine."

"Kira…"

"Is there something else?" Kira asked and fixed him with a neutral expression.

'_Yeah, I still like you too.'_

"No."

"Then you can leave. I'm busy."

Shinn hesitated before walking out of the room, glancing back at Kira before disappearing around the corner of the doorframe.

Kira sighed and rubbed his face with his hands.

* * *

**The next day…**

Athrun stood waiting at the docks. He glanced down at his watch to note that it was almost noon. For some reason he felt nervous. He kept checking the perimeters, wondering if this would be an ambush, wondering if this was a good idea, wondering what he would do when she showed up, wondering-

"Good, you didn't flake on me."

Athrun snapped his attention to the person before him. How did he not notice her arrival? He must not have been checking too thoroughly…

"Stop glancing around nervously, there's no one else here, at least not authorized by me." Cagalli told him.

"Oh, sorry I just-,"

"Don't trust me?" she finished for him. "I owe you my life, Athrun, so don't worry."

He nodded and they were silent for a moment.

"Sooo…what did you want to talk about?"

"Kira's plan. What's up with it?" she asked, getting straight to the point.

"Um…I'm not exactly sure myself." He answered sheepishly.

"What do you mean? He didn't tell you?" she asked incredulously.

"Well, we discussed something, but no, he didn't really tell me what he had planned. Honestly I thought he was joking." He replied seriously.

She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "You're not pulling my leg are you?" she asked and furtively glanced around. "Do I need to be watching my back?"

"No, no!" he said and put his hands up. "I really didn't have anything to do with this. I'm as shocked as everyone else."

"Good, because if you pulled another stunt like 'James Rosco' I'd have to hit you." She told him.

He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Yeah, that was a bad idea. I think Kira just wanted to have a laugh at my expense with that one."

"That was his idea?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Not really…but he didn't tell me how stupid it was, so he's partly at fault. Actually, you can just blame him." He said and she tried not to giggle.

"Well, that's not all I came here for." She said and stepped forward. His innocent surprise almost made her falter, but then again, this was what she wanted. "I need you to confirm something. Well, a few things."

"Okay…"

"Kira mentioned last night that you guys were running an operation that involved lust, and the reason why his new plan was formed; care to elaborate? He said he knew we were doing the same thing also." She told him.

"Oh, well, I guess since it's over and out of the bag now…yeah. We were doing Operation: Lust; that's why Shinn asked Luna out, Dearka went out with Milly, then Shinn went out with Stellar, and Kira went out with Lacus-,"

"I think I get it, thanks. Well, since you already seem to know, we were indeed running the same operation, although ours was named 'Heartbreak'. It's why I…was at the bar and dressed up, and why Meyrin sent you that jacket." Cagalli interrupted.

"Huh, thought so. That's a big coincidence, although looking back on things it makes sense. But we're doing the same thing now…it's just more obvious." Athrun replied.

"Right, well, um," she began but couldn't seem to get the right words out.

"Was there…something else?" he asked tentatively.

She opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it. She licked her lips and tried again, but again no words came out. She closed her eyes and sighed, and when she opened them, about to finally say something, he acted on instinct and just kissed her.

She didn't fight him, but actually responded, and when he pulled away he looked into her eyes and said, "Yeah, I like you."

They were both blushing and had gotten much closer than before. She hesitated a moment and leaned in again.

"I like you too." She whispered when the second kiss was over.

A smile started to spread on his face and he chuckled. She smiled and giggled, ducking her head, and soon they were both laughing.

"Well, there's no sense in toying with each other now. I don't know whether you want to agree to his insane plan or not, but either way I still…like you." He told her.

"Same here. Although I think my choice is clear." She replied.

"Well then…do you wanna go out on the boat?" he asked suddenly.

She blinked. "What?"

A small blush was starting to rise again in his cheeks. "Well, since we're at the docks, and my boat is nearby, I figured…we could go out on the sea…find an island or something to relax…"

"Oh," she breathed, blushing as well. She managed to regain her composure enough to say, "Okay, sure, but not for too long."

He smiled and held out his arm, she glanced at it, and then linked her arm in his as they walked down the boardwalk.

* * *

"This is going to be harder than I thought…did you understand anything he was saying? I wanted to tell him to slow down and repeat everything but I didn't want to look like an idiot. Sorry Luna." Shinn said with a nervous expression.

She smiled at him, "Don't worry, everything will be fine. We just need to get my pre-natals and pay attention to his instructions. Would you like to come with me?"

"Huh?"

"To the store?"

"Oh, right, sure."

"And don't worry, Cagalli already set up a fund."

"Oh, yeah, Kira gave me some money earlier as well."

They smiled at each other again and he looked down at her stomach. "I wonder when we get to find out the gender…"

"Oh, that won't be for a while. Actually, there's gonna be a baby shower too, I wonder who's going to plan that? Probably Cagalli or Meyrin, and the girls will help. I wonder what will be going on by then." Luna began rambling.

"What? Baby shower?" Shinn asked, utterly clueless.

"You know, like a bridal shower."

"…you take a shower when you get married?"

"No! It's a party! Your friends come and give you gifts!"

"I thought they gave you gifts at the wedding…"

"That's for _both_ the bride and groom. But anyway, a baby shower is when all the girls get together and give the mother-to-be gifts for the baby! Maybe I should begin registering for that…"

"Luna…"

"Oh don't worry Shinn, someone else is in charge of planning that, and you won't be involved anyway— girls only." Luna chattered on.

Shinn was left feeling even more nervous and unprepared as a sinking feeling got into his gut. _'What have I signed myself up for?'_

They spent a good part of the day shopping for supplies that Luna would need during her pregnancy, and Shinn kept feeling smaller and younger as each minute passed.

"Don't worry, you won't be attacked, I need you to help me carry these in." Luna told him when they got back to the base.

"Okay…" he grabbed a few bags and followed her inside.

Instantly he was surrounded by females.

"Aw how sweet, he's helping you carry the bags!"

"How'd the doctor's appointment go? Did you get all your shopping done?"

"So Shinn, are you really ready for all this?"

"Uhhh…"

"Just ignore them, come on, this way." Luna said, grabbing his wrist and leading him down the hall to her room as the girls watched after them.

Stellar peeked out of her room as Shinn passed and he glanced back at her.

"Just set them down here, please. Thanks sweetheart." Luna said and kissed him on the cheek.

"You're welcome. Hey, while we're here…" he said and smirked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Oh don't be silly Shinn, the girls would listen from the other side of the door, and besides, I'm pregnant now."

"So? We can go somewhere else…"

She gave him a knowing look, but he still didn't understand the problem.

"What? We can't have sex?"

"No! I'm pregnant, hello! Baby in the oven? We can't have sex while I'm pregnant." She told him, almost as if she was just as surprised that he didn't know.

"But…you don't have a big belly yet…"

"So! The baby is growing inside of me, and if you poke your sword in and around then you could cause complications or make me have twins, and I swear Shinn Asuka, if I have two or more babies coming out of my-,"

"Okay, okay no sex!" he exclaimed before she could make it worse.

She smiled and patted him on the head. "Yep, your bachelor days are over, hun."

"Over?" he squeaked.

She giggled and lead him out of the room and back down the hall to get the rest of the bags in her car.

Stellar caught the dazed and worried look on his face and knew that now was her chance…

* * *

"Hey Kira." Fllay said with a sultry look.

"Fllay." He replied with a smirk and a heated look.

"Since the beach is officially off-limits for now I figured you could take me to the mall and buy me things in order to make up for breaking up with me." She said with a cute little giggle.

"Oh really?" he asked and raised his eyebrows.

"Yep!" she replied.

His lips twitched. "Well aren't you going to put some clothes on?" he asked as he looked her up and down…all tiny-halter-top-and-mini-skirt-in-stiletto-heels of her.

She blinked and then smirked back at him. "No, as it is I feel this is way too much." She said huskily as she clung to his arm.

"I'll have to watch my back in case some other guys try to steal you from me then." He told her.

"Then it'll be just like the good times." She replied.

Just then Shinn came out with Luna and caught his eye. Luna glanced over but didn't seem fazed, but Shinn looked surprised to see Kira standing right outside the Pokitknives' base with Fllay on his arm. They shared a look and Shinn hefted the rest of the bags before going back inside.

Fllay sent him a dark look, as if to say, "Back off, he's _mine_" and then turned back to Kira, pressing closer to get his attention.

"Let's go, we're already wasting half the day away!" she said and pulled him to his car.

He cast one more look at the base before sliding into the driver's seat and taking off. He wondered where Lacus might be, or if she saw.

'_If she wants me, she can fight for me.'_

* * *

"That looks like a good place." Athrun said and pointed to a small island nearby.

They had driven out to sea, the wind blowing through their hair, looking for a good spot to weigh anchor and relax.

"Sure." Cagalli replied. At first she was worried and nervous, but then she came to realize that Athrun wouldn't betray her or hurt her, and besides, he was doing her a favor by getting her away from all the stress. She only hoped her absence wouldn't be taken advantage of.

He pulled into the shallow waters until he was on the shore, then threw down the anchor and hopped over the side into the water. He held out his hands and helped her down as she carried the bag full of towels he had stowed away in the cabin.

They laid out the towels and rolled up their sleeves, then sat down and relaxed.

"Ahhh, this feels good." She breathed and dug her toes into the warm sand. She put her face to the sun and closed her eyes, smiling.

He looked over at her and smiled, thinking of how perfect this seemed.

"Oh! Here, you need sunscreen." He said and grabbed a bottle.

"Oh, thanks." She replied and rubbed some on her arms and legs. She noticed him watching her and squirted him with the bottle, laughing. "You need some too, or that Italian tan won't be spray-on!"

He laughed as well and rubbed the smeared lotion onto his skin, then laid back and closed his eyes.

For a moment the sun was in his eyes and he was squinting a bit, but then some shade appeared and his eyes relaxed. He felt some soft wind brush his hair off his face, but wait…

He opened his eyes, and inches above him was Cagalli, smiling devilishly. She leaned in and he smiled back.

* * *

"Are you sure that's everything?" Shinn asked.

"Yep, it should be. Man I'm tired, I'm going to rest for a bit, I'll talk to you later." Luna said and stepped toward the door.

"Wait, um, be careful and uh, take your vitamins and stuff like the doctor said. Don't sleep too much either!" he said in a concerned tone.

She giggled. "You're so cute, you'll be a good daddy, I know." She said and ruffled his hair and went to leave again.

"Lunaaa…" he said and pulled her close, kissing her on the lips and holding her in his arms.

She smiled and blushed a bit, then nuzzled his chest before stepping back and going into the base.

He watched after her until the door closed and then sighed, walking back to his motorcycle.

"Shinn." He heard a voice say and turned, hoping it was Luna.

"Oh, Stellar, hey."

* * *

_Bang!_

He had her against the wall and closed in, she pushed him and then he felt the wall at his back and lips moving against his.

_Slam!_

He surged forward and slammed her into the other wall. "Surrender."

_Bam!_

She clipped him on the jaw and pushed him back against the wall, smirking a bit. "No, you surrender."

He smirked back and grabbed her arms, pushing her to the side and switching their positions. He went for her shirt as he kissed her again. "No, you surrender."

_Pow!_

She kneed him with a laugh and pushed him down to the floor. "Give it up, Joule!"

He flipped her as his shirt also came off. "Never."

"Then we'll be doing this for a while…" she replied and felt his strong arms.

"I don't mind." He replied with a wicked look and leaned down again.

* * *

"I wonder how everything is going." Nicol thought out loud.

"I don't want to think about it." Rey replied.

"Why?" Nicol asked.

"Because of the images."

"What images?"

"Well, Nicol, think about it. We're stuck in a building together, with no female contact for weeks, and the females we _do_ contact, we have to fight." Rey began.

"Uh huh." Nicol replied.

"Now we get to _date_ these females, or at least try to win over, which involves various…enterprises…"

"Uh…huh…"

Rey was silent for a moment, watching to see if Nicol understood.

"You know…date…woo…court…"

"Yeah…"

"Think of a bunch of horny guys and horny girls, trying to win each other over and make each other surrender as a form of dominance."

Nicol's face grew pale.

"Yeah, those images."

* * *

Cagalli's hand was clenched in Athrun's locks, the other on his chest, as they continued making out on the beach. One hand was also entwined in her hair and another was on her back, pressing her close to him. He moaned in pleasure and she responded in kind.

"Eek!" she suddenly squeaked and pulled up. "What was that?" she asked and touched her back to feel a wet spot.

Athrun looked from her to the sky and his eyes widened. "Uh oh…"

"What?" she asked and turned to look at the darkened sky. "Oh…crap…"

"We should…find cover."

"Find cover? We need to get back to the docks!" she exclaimed and started gathering the towels.

He grabbed her hand and looked to the sky again. "Cagalli, we can't leave now, if we do we'll get caught right in the middle of that thing. It's too late."

She looked worriedly at the rainclouds and heard the peals of thunder, knowing he was right. She definitely did _not_ want to be on a small speedboat in the middle of the ocean with a storm that large all around her.

"Okay, but where?" she asked and was already being taken further ashore.

"Look, it's a small cave. Take everything in there and stay there, I'll tie down the boat and make sure it doesn't float away during the storm." He told her and she nodded.

'_Oh no…what'll happen now? I hope this storm doesn't last too long…then again, being stranded on a small island with Athrun Zala isn't exactly the _worst_ thing that could happen…'_ she thought with a small grin.

'_Well this was perfect timing, I just wish it's not too bad or lasts too long. Then again…I don't think I'd mind being stuck here a few days with Cagalli…'_

* * *

Kira glanced at his phone for the hundredth time that day. He was sitting outside a fitting room in a lingerie store while Fllay was changing into something sexy for him. He _should_ be enjoying this, at least a little, but he kept thinking about two people, trying to get them both _off_ his mind, and failing miserably.

"What do you think?" Fllay asked in a sexy voice.

"Uh huh." He replied as he scrolled through his messages. He had texted Lacus, but she didn't respond. He contemplated texting Shinn, but then thought better of opening _that _can of worms.

"You're not even looking!" she cried angrily. He kept getting distracted; it was hard for even _her_ to keep his attention. She hoped he wasn't thinking about Lacus, or Shinn. She was getting pissed. She was hot, damnit! He should've tried to get in her pants (or, skirt) by now!

"That's because I know you'll look good in anything you're wearing," he said and looked up to see what she was modeling for him now. "…or not wearing…"

A guy whistled as he walked by and Kira shot him a dangerous look before his girlfriend punched him in the gut.

"Um…Fllay…do you have that on wrong? I don't think it's supposed to do that…"

"Nope, this is _exactly_ what it's supposed to do." She replied with a sly look. He got up and stood in front of her, his face getting red.

"But, everyone is seeing…" he whispered and looked around as he attempted to cover her up.

"Then do something about it." She said and locked him in her gaze.

He smirked and glanced around again, then walked her into the fitting room and closed the door, locking it. She giggled and went in for the kiss as they slid their hands over each other.

"Here Fllay, let me help you get that off."

"Oh my, what a gentleman." She replied and giggled.

* * *

"Look, I need to get back." Shinn said and took a step near his bike.

"Do you see now, what you've gotten yourself into?" Stellar asked, looking him in the eye.

Wh-what do you mean?" he asked, although knowing exactly what she was implying.

"No more fun, no more sex, it's all about her, about the baby. You'll be making trips like that for nine more months, and you'll have to take care of her for _nine more months_, and then for eighteen years once the baby is born. Your life is over, Shinn. No more sex. Ever." She told him, stepping closer.

"What? No, it won't be like that. She'll want her space, and besides, I'm happy to help her, I'm excited about the baby!"

"Are you really? Or are you dreading every second it gets closer to popping out of her-,"

"Stellar, come on, I know what you're doing." He said as she got closer with each word.

"- moist, open, warm-,"

"Stellar, seriously-,"

"Vagina." She said and had him pinned to the wall. They were inches apart, probably not even that far.

His eyes were shut tight and he was tensed. She moved one of her hands to his shoulder and started rubbing deep.

"Stellar-,"

"Shhhhh. Stellar will make it better, Shinn." She whispered smoothly in his ear.

"No, really, S-Stella, s-s-stell…."

* * *

Cagalli and Athrun were huddled inside the small cave, sitting side by side. She could feel him shaking because he got drenched while he was securing the boat, and she got wet as well when she ran out to help him, but he practically pushed her back into the cave.

"You should take your clothes off."

"What?" he exclaimed.

"Well…you're wet."

"True…" he said and wiggled out of his shirt. "It's a good thing we have towels…"

"Yeah." She said and a small shiver went through her body.

She hoped he wouldn't notice, but he did. "Hey, you got wet too. Start strippin'."

She blushed and he laughed at her expression. "I'm fine; I just got a few sprinkles."

"No, you ran out in the middle of the pouring rain while I was trying to pull the boat farther ashore, and then you got in the water while the waves were crashing down and tried to push it." He said with a pointed expression as he slid off his pants.

"Well…you looked like you needed help…"

"Come on, you'll get sick if you keep those wet, cold clothes on. Do you want me to help you?" he asked, and she wasn't sure if he was joking or serious.

"I think I can handle it." She said and pulled up her shirt. It got stuck around her head and she struggled, since it was wet and sticking to her skin.

Athrun's lip twitched and he pulled it off from the top. Her face was red but she didn't say much as she laid it on the cave ground.

"Hey, all of it, mister. You'll catch a cold too."

This time his face was red. "W-what?"

"Well, there's not enough room to make a fire, plus we have no dry wood, and besides, we have towels. Take it all off." She told him.

"Well, you too!"

"Fine, but don't look."

"You don't look!"

They both turned away from each other and Athrun slipped off his boxers, feeling a bit uneasy. Cagalli pulled her shorts off and then unstrapped her bra before moving on to her underwear. She leaned back to shimmy them off and ended up bumping into Athrun's back.

They tensed for a moment and neither moved as bare skin met bare skin.

"Uh, hold still." She said and used his back as support. "There, thanks." She said and quickly grabbed a towel to cover up. She went to turn back around but he held her in place.

"Hey! I need a towel too."

"Oh." She said and reached for the other one in the bag. She hesitated and then a sly look overcame her face.

"Cagalli…"

"Yes Athrun?"

"Could you please hand me the other towel?" he asked.

"This other towel?" she asked and dangled it in front of him. He reached around and tried to grab it but she threw it outside of the cave…

…into the pouring rain.

"Oops, looks like it's all wet." She said and laughed at his shocked expression. His mouth was hanging open and his eyes were wide as he looked at the towel lying in the sand, now drenched. He looked at the bag and realized there were no more towels left.

"How could you-," he began but Cagalli shut his mouth with her own. He fell back and she landed on top of him.

He smirked and wrapped his arms around her. "Well, it looks like we'll just have to share." He said and this time her mouth was open. He took the opportunity to kiss her back.

* * *

_Knock, knock._

"Sir?"

_Knock, knock!_

"Sir, you're not supposed to be in there with her!"

Fllay giggled and Kira resisted the temptation to laugh.

_Bang! Bang!_

"SIR!"

"Almost ready!" Kira called out and the two laughed.

"Oh very funny, look, we _do_ have cameras in there!" the fitting room assistant called back.

They looked up and in the corner saw a camera, then snorted as they burst out laughing again. Fllay waved and flashed a foxy grin.

"I'm calling security!"

"Okay, okay, relax!" Kira said and they exited the fitting room, the mirror fogged up and a sexy little note inscribed for the next lucky girl…

"I was helping her get her clothes back on."

"Yeah right, more like taking them off." The assistant muttered and scowled at them, then took a moment to take in all his features.

"That too, she was having a hard time undoing this…er…thing," he said and held up the lingerie, half laughing; she averted her eyes and blushed, "she asked for assistance, and well, I could see you were helping someone else so I-,"

"Okay, just shoo." She said and waved them off, still blushing, as they started another laughing fit. "And next time get a hotel!" she called after them as they headed to the register.

The customers gathered around glanced at each other and whispered about the lucky couple, and a few were around to hear the squeal the assistant made when she went inside the stall…

* * *

"Wait, I can't do this." Shinn panted and broke away. He had given in and they were in the middle of making out in the alleyway when he stepped back.

"What do you mean?" Stellar asked and pulled him back.

"I can't betray Luna like this. Stellar, I'm sorry, but-,"

"If you don't surrender to me the easy way, I'll make you do it the hard way." She told him, her face cold and serious.

"Stellar…"

"I mean it, Shinn." She replied and reached for her gun.

"Wait, Stellar." He said and grabbed her wrists. He looked into her eyes and tried to think of what to say to her, but couldn't.

She looked back at him with such a fierce expression that he could only stare back and hope she wouldn't try to use deadly force on him.

'_This isn't going to end well.'_

"Listen, Stellar, I like you, I really do, but Luna and I…we're in love, okay? And she's having my baby, so I can't leave her, not right now, not like this."

"You're just saying that because you feel obligated. She's forcing you to take care of her and the baby, but you don't have to. She has us to take care of her, and you can be with me." She said and pulled him closer.

"No, Stellar, that wouldn't be right, not while she's pregnant!"

"Then break up with her once the baby is born." Stellar replied against his neck.

He was close to giving in again but pushed her back. "No, Stellar."

She glared at him. "If Cagalli accepts Kira's challenge, I _will_ make you surrender to me, Shinn, one way or the other." She growled at him.

"Yeah well, Luna already surrendered to me so you don't have to worry." He replied quickly.

He should have known from her expression that things would turn bad.

"SHE WHAT?" she shrieked and pulled her gun out.

"Woah Stellar! Easy now!" he said and jumped back, his hands up.

"Do what Stellar wants, NOW!" she demanded, pointing the gun at him.

"Okay, okay, just put the gun away Stellar, please." He pleaded. _'Not again! Why does this always have to happen to me?'_ he thought hopelessly.

Her expression changed again. "You will?" she whispered, her eyes wide and innocent.

"Y-yes, I'll…sleep with you, if that's what you want." He told her hesitantly. _'Luna, please forgive me…'_

She smiled and jumped on him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Shinn!" she said like a child.

He gasped and tried to see where she put the gun, wondering how he would get out of this mess.

"This way." She said and dragged him up, then down the alleyway and toward the base.

"No, Luna will see." He whispered and pulled back.

"No she won't, we'll slip in through my window." She said and continued dragging him.

"Stellar, wait, no!" he whispered loudly, resisting her pull.

"Do it or I'll kill you." She said cheerily and his shocked expression held no more resistance as she pulled him along and practically threw him into her room through the window.

She dragged him onto her bed and climbed on top with a happy smile. "Stellar so happy Shinn agreed to sleep with me!" she said.

"Shhhh! They'll hear you!" he whispered and covered her mouth.

She giggled and licked his hand. "Silly Shinn, there's not many girls here right now." She said and kissed him.

'_Where's the gun?'_ he thought and slid his hands down her sides.

She giggled again and copied his movements.

* * *

"Now that we got warmed up, are you ready to take me for a spin?" Fllay asked Kira seductively as they sat in his parked car. They were a few blocks away from the base in the back of an abandoned building's parking lot, where no one could see them.

He smirked and leaned toward her. He was still in the driver's seat and she in the passenger's seat. She giggled and started pulling him into the back seat.

'_Lacus.'_

He hesitated and felt himself be pulled fully into his backseat and then pinned by Fllay. He cleared his head of that last thought and responded to her kiss. Things started to get hot and passionate as she slipped her hands underneath his shirt.

"I'll have to model that lingerie for you again some time." She crooned in a sultry voice, next to his ear.

"Mmmmhmmm." He replied and unhooked her bra.

'_Shinn.'_

"Ow! Kira you bit me!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, sorry…"

"If you wanted to play rough, you should've told me." She moaned and bit his neck.

"Woah! Fllay…"

"Mmmmm Kira…."

Just then his phone vibrated in his pocket and Fllay squeaked since she was sitting on top of where the phone was located. He quickly grabbed it and she squeaked again.

It was a text message from Lacus.

_Just wanted to let you know that Shinn is in bed with Stellar._

His eyes flew wide and his mouth gaped open.

"What? Who is it?" Fllay asked as she tried to see the message.

_Oh, and a REAL woman doesn't NEED lingerie to get her man. Come and get ME when you want one, Kira._

"Kira? Kiiiraaaa? Helloooo!" Fllay called and waved her hand in front of his face.

"Uh…um…"

"You better not be chickening out, Yamato."

"I…can't do this."

"WHAT?" she shrieked.

He winced since her mouth was close to his ear. "Look, Fllay…"

"Gimme that!" she yelled and grabbed his phone.

"Hey!" he said and snatched it back.

She gasped and her face got so red he was afraid she would burst.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

* * *

"What was that?" Shinn asked as he jolted upward.

"Oh nothing, probably just Fllay having an orgasm in someone's car a few blocks away." Stellar said and continued munching on Shinn's neck as if that were a regular occurrence.

"Look, Stellar," He said as his hands slid around the gun.

"Hm?"

"I _do_ like you, but,"

"Shinn?"

He quickly pulled the gun out and shot off the bed. "Sorry, but I can't sleep with you because I love Luna and am having a baby with her!" he shouted quickly and bolted out of the window. Shinn jumped on his motorcycle and quickly revved it up, then sped out of there as fast as possible.

"What?"

* * *

"I cannot BELIEVE YOU!" Fllay continued to shriek.

"Ow, hey, cool it, you're yelling in my ear!" he told her as he sat up.

"You are _not_ going to her!" she yelled.

"I'll do what I want." He said and went to get up but she slammed him back down and wrapped her hand around him.

"No. Now, surrender." She said huskily. She had him, he was going to surrender, and he would be hers forever.

"Heh, no." he smirked and threw her off. "Nice try though." He said as he opened the door.

"Hey!"

"Out, Fllay."

She shrieked again and stormed out, grabbing her bra and shirt top, then scrounging around for her shoes.

He popped the trunk. "Get your stuff."

"I can't carry all this back to the base!" she screamed.

"Too bad." He said and sped off, leaving her in the parking lot, half-naked, surrounded by shopping bags.

She stamped her foot and let out another furious scream as she watched him drive off.

* * *

"What was that? Did I hear squealing tires?" Luna asked and sat up.

Meyrin glanced up from the computer and shrugged. "I dunno."

The door to the base burst open and Fllay stalked inside, throwing her bags and shoes on the floor.

"That asshole left me in the parking lot!" she screamed.

Milly's eyes widened as she surveyed her topless friend. "Uh, Fllay? You're walking around in your bra…again…"

"I know that! He wouldn't let me put it on before he pushed me out of his car!" she yelled again.

"Who? What are you talking about?" Milly asked and peered inside the bags. Shiho glanced around the corner with a curious expression.

"KIRA!"

"…oh…"

She let out another scream and dragged her bags into her room. Lacus was stepping out of hers when Fllay marched by.

"Are you happy now?" she cried, tears streaming down her face and ruining her make-up.

"Fllay…"

"No, just shut up and leave me alone!" she cried again and stormed down the hall into her room, slamming the door shut.

Lacus glanced at her phone and smirked.

Milly and Shiho exchanged knowing looks.

* * *

Shinn sat on his bike, trembling and panting heavily as he tried to calm himself down before entering the base. He could barely breathe and sweat was dripping into his eyes. He focused on his gasping and closed his eyes, wiping himself with the back of his arm.

'_Get it together Shinn, it's alright, it's no big deal…you just ran away from a girl who was threatening to kill you if you didn't sleep with her…'_ he thought to himself.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" he breathed.

He heard the roar of Kira's engine pull up beside him, but couldn't think of what to say to explain his current condition.

"Hey…are you alright?" Kira asked as he got out of his car.

"Uh…y-yeah." He replied a bit shakily.

"I thought you were in bed with Stellar?" Kira asked, not looking pleased as he crossed his arms.

"Not now Kira." He gasped.

A concerned look washed over his features and he stepped closer, Shinn was still sitting on his bike. "Hey…what happened?" he asked and reached toward him, then hesitated.

"S-she…um…" he began but then paused and looked up at him. "Hey, how did you know?" he asked suspiciously.

"Uh…anonymous tip?"

"Who saw?" Shinn exclaimed and almost fell off his bike trying to come toward him.

"I…got a text from Lacus."

"LACUS? Oh man." He moaned and started pacing, running his hands through his hair.

"Relax, she won't say anything to Luna." Kira said, trying to soothe the boy.

"How do you know?" he asked angrily, but with a worried and pained expression.

"Because I told her not to, now come on." Kira said and grabbed his arm, leading him inside the base.

"Yzak, what happened to you?" he asked when he saw his silver-haired comrade. He had some bruises and scrapes, and his hair wasn't as pristine as it usually was.

"I got in a fight." He said.

"With who?" Kira asked, eyes wide at the damage.

Yzak smirked and shrugged. "A girl."

Kira looked puzzled but then understood and smirked. "She must've been one tough girl."

"Heh, you should see _her_!"

"So did you get her?"

"Uh, I'm still working on that." He replied and looked away.

Kira stopped walking and glanced at him, his eyebrows furrowed, then shook his head and kept going with Shinn in tow.

Dearka lightly punched him on the arm and smirked at his friend. "You dog."

Yzak only smirked back.

Kira poked his head back around the corner. "Hey, where's Athrun?" he asked.

"I dunno." The two said and shrugged.

Kira lowered his eyebrows again but then shrugged it off as he entered his office and sat Shinn down, who was starting to recover.

"Now, what happened?" Kira asked.

"I don't want to talk about it." He mumbled, his head in his hands.

Kira leaned against his desk. "Yeah, things didn't turn out so well with me either." He finally commented.

"I can't believe I did that." Shinn whispered to himself.

"Yeah, me neither." Kira replied, also to himself.

"She was _threatening_ to _kill me_ if I didn't _sleep with her_!" Shinn continued.

"She was all over me…"

"And I said, 'Oh, sorry, but I have to worry about my pregnant girlfriend in the next room'!"

"Why didn't I just screw her? She was right there, just begging me to do it! I coulda made her surrender too…"

"Even with a gun to my head I can't get it straight…"

'_I need to get laid.'_

"Her hand was…wait, what?"

Shinn looked up and they locked eyes.

"Nothing…"

'_I need to get laid.'_

Kira glanced at the door, then at Shinn. Shinn glanced at the door, then at Kira. They both stood up at the same time.

Kira smoothly walked over to the door and then locked it before slowly turning back to Shinn with a neutral expression.

"So, uh, you were saying? Something about a gun and…straight…" he said as he got closer and cleared his throat.

"Stellar threatened to shoot me. You?"

"Ah. Fllay was in my lap, and then I got a text from Lacus. Then Fllay was out of my lap and I was driving away."

"Mmmhmm." Shinn said and then leaned closer.

"What are you-,"

"C'mere." Shinn said, pulling him close and kissing him.

Kira made a sound but then didn't bother to resist. "Oh the hell with it." He growled and pushed him onto the desk.

* * *

**-Author's Note: This is sounding like the cheesy romantic comedies I like to watch…**

**I mean whaaaat?**

**There's some romance for ya (wink). Please review and let me know what you think, flames won't be tolerated, and if you yell at me for the explicit content, I advise you to look above and carefully read the warning. It means you can't get mad at me for reading at your own risk (sticks tongue out). The next chapter will be fun…maybe this should be rated X…Peace out!-**


	42. Chapter 42: What Really Happened

**Chapter 42: What Really Happened…**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Gundam Seed/Destiny any more than I own a Great White Shark and a swimming pool…(but I'm working on that last bit...hehehe)**

**Kira:…shark…?**

**Me: Yes…like the one that bit your leg (evil)**

**Kira: You mean the one you haven't mentioned since Bulletproof?**

**Me:…yeah….that one…**

* * *

Once again, there was an arm wrapped around him when he woke up. A non-female arm. A non-Luna arm.

A Kira arm.

He jolted upwards, stirring Kira in his sleep, and glanced around. They were…in his office? What the..? Why were they on the ground near his desk? Why were they…

…naked?

"Shit."

* * *

Cagalli sighed and nuzzled closer to the warm body beside her as she slowly regained consciousness. She was a bit uncomfortable on what she was lying on and so began to move around to find a better position. When doing so, she felt bare skin instead of clothing, and it seemed a bit chilly and breezy…wherever she was.

'_Wait…where am I?' _she thought as her eyes fluttered open.

She blinked. She knew what she was seeing, but she refused to believe it was actually there. She blinked again, hoping to wake up from this dream, but still saw the same picture. She glanced around, trying not to move and disturb the other person beside her…the other naked person beside her…and realized that, yes, indeed, she was in a cave.

'_Oh yay.'_ She thought sarcastically. _'But wait…so that whole thing…wasn't a dream?'_

She popped up, squealed, and snatched the towel to cover herself up, then squealed again as she could feel her face getting red. She put her head under the towel and hoped that by some miracle she could open her eyes, peek out from under the towel, and be in her room at the base, fully clothed.

She did so, but she was still in a cave, on some random island, sitting next to Athrun in his birthday suit.

"Ohhoo…" she made a hopeless sound and hoped she could find a way out of here without-

"Well good morning…"

-that.

She slowly turned her head toward Athrun, and then whipped it back as her blush increased. He chuckled, not seeming to be embarrassed at all, and sat up next to her.

"You know you look cute when you blush like that."

"Ohhhhh…" she made the slightly embarrassed, slightly frightened, and slightly sheepish tone again.

"What's the matter?" he asked with a small smile. He knew nothing was wrong, and he couldn't help but to feel amused at her worried little expressions. Plus he was giddy because of the night before (those after-morning feelings are like a sugar-high teenager after her crush says he likes her…times a million…).

"That sounds cute too." He said and chuckled again. _'I…am really happy. Maybe I should cool it in case she freaks out, which looks like-,'_

"How could this happen?" she exclaimed with a shocked expression.

'_-now…oh well…'_

"Cagalli, it's okay—hush, let me finish—there's no need to worry, alright? If you want no one needs to know what happened, okay? Besides, since the storm is over I can take you back now…if you want." He said in a soft tone.

"But Athrun…"

"What's wrong?"

"I just…I just…"

He started growing concerned and furrowed his eyebrows. "Are you not…happy?" he asked.

She finally looked at him. "No, it's not that, it's just…I can't believe that happened…"

"You didn't seem so worried before…and don't say it was because you were caught up in the moment either."

"I guess I'm just surprised, that's all." She said. "Now…what?"

"Well…" he said and slipped his hand in hers. "We go on dates, talk to each other nonstop, and hang out with each other whenever possible…"

She smiled. "I know that, but, I mean about the war."

He was silent for a moment. "You could accept Kira's plan, so that it'll be easier for us to be together."

"Yeah…" she replied, as if lost in thought.

They sat for a moment, looking out across the sea, and felt content.

* * *

"Mmm." Kira looked to be waking up and Shinn scrambled around, looking for his clothes.

"S-Shinn?" Kira's tired voice called out as he yawned and stretched. He opened his eyes again and looked around, running his hands through his hair. "What…?"

"Uh…what do you remember about last night?" Shinn asked as he pulled his pants up, trying not to look at the nude leader in front of him.

"Um…Fllay? But then how did I…?" Kira asked, seemingly unaware of his nudeness at the moment. "Oh, right, the text from Lacus, and then I came back here…"

"And I was running away from Stellar, and we met up outside…"

"And then we came in here to…talk? Yeah…and then…"

"We weren't talking anymore…"

"Oh." Kira breathed after Shinn finished his sentence. He looked around again and blinked. "What?"

"Kira…put some clothes on…please."

* * *

"I'm really worried…where could Cagalli be?" Luna asked. All the girls were sitting in the living room, minus their leader, as they thought of what to do next. Everyone was caught up in what they had gone through the other day, and they weren't sure whether they should share or keep their secrets to themselves…

"Wasn't she going to see Athrun?" Meyrin asked in a neutral expression.

"I think so, isn't that what she said Lacus?" Luna asked and turned to the girl.

The pink princess nodded, trying to ignore the glare being sent her way by Fllay. Luna and Meyrin noticed this and glanced at each other. Milly and Shiho also shared a knowing look. Stellar was off in her own world. The room seemed to tense up, as they felt that something—or someone—was about to explode.

"We shouldn't be worrying about Cagalli." Fllay spat.

'_Here it comes…'_

"We should be focusing on betrayal!" she shrieked.

Lacus sat unmoved, barely even looking at the other girl.

"What do you mean?" Luna asked curiously.

"Don't you know what happened last night?" Fllay asked furiously.

Luna and Meyrin shook their heads.

Fllay pointed at Lacus accusingly. "_She_ betrayed me! I was out with Kira and that little bitch sent him a text, and then he just ran off! How could you do that? We aren't supposed to fight each other!" she screamed.

"Woah, just calm down-,"

"_You_ weren't supposed to go after Kira. He doesn't love you, Fllay, everyone knows that. He's just toying with you, the same way you manipulated him before." Lacus spoke evenly, with an edge to her voice.

Fllay gasped. "That…that's not true! _You_ ruined everything! I had him! He was mine until you showed up!"

"He was never yours, Fllay, you two were involved in a very unhealthy relationship, feeding off of each other's rage and hatred in order to gain whatever you could out of it. You made him do things that are shameful, all because you said you loved him; and besides, you couldn't stop him from becoming a monster, you may have actually contributed to it."

"I did not!" she screamed again and stood.

"Girls…"

"Luna, I think this discussion needs to happen. There has been more than one betrayal, and in order to proceed, we need to deal with them." Lacus replied.

Stellar seemed to wake a bit from her musings, because she glanced at Lacus curiously. Milly and Shiho perked up, wondering what new secrets they would learn now.

"Now what are you talking about?" Fllay asked angrily.

Lacus glanced at Stellar, giving her a knowing look, and then turned to Luna. "I'm not saying he isn't loyal…but Stellar snuck Shinn into her room last night, through the window. I could see them from my window next to her room. That's what I told Kira."

"That's not all you told him." Fllay muttered.

Luna's eyes widened and she looked to Stellar who showed no signs of remorse, surprise, or apology. "He what?" she breathed.

Stellar titled her head to the side, as if she was unsure what was going on.

"Don't play dumb, Stellar, what did you do to him?" Meyrin asked angrily.

"I only told him the truth."

"What truth?"

"That his life was over once that baby is born." She said calmly and pointed to Luna's stomach.

"What?" Luna exclaimed. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, he'll have to take care of you and the baby, he won't be the same. I…I don't want that to happen to him. I don't want to see his life pass away…" Stellar replied with a hint of emotion.

"Stellar…"

"That's bogus!" Meyrin yelled and stood. "How could you seduce him, Stellar? Why would you say stuff like that to him?"

"Because it's true, and he needed to know. I gave him a chance to change his future, I gave him a choice."

"You shouldn't have done that. You only made things worse!" Meyrin yelled again. Luna reached out a hand and touched her sister's arm, who turned back to her.

"No." Stellar said, and they all looked to her again. "We didn't…Shinn said no. Stellar threatened him…with a gun…tried to make him surrender like Cagalli said…but he didn't…"

"Stellar? Didn't what?" Luna asked, going toward the girl who was now crying.

"He bolted out of the window. I saw it. Then I heard his bike take off." Lacus said, since Stellar was unable to speak at the moment.

"That must have been what we heard last night." Luna said to Meyrin who nodded.

"Yeah well what about me? At the same time Shinn was leaving Stellar, Kira was leaving me! Outside in the middle of the night with no shirt on and a bunch of bags I had to carry all the way back here! Because of _you_!" Fllay shouted and pointed at Lacus again.

"He what?"

"That's right, I could've been mugged!"

"Fllay, I think you're exaggerating."

"Check her phone and see what she sent him!" Fllay demanded.

Luna glanced to Lacus, but Fllay snatched the phone from her hands and scrolled through the texts until she found the right one. "_Oh, and a _real_ woman doesn't _need_ lingerie to get her man. Come and get _me_ when you want one, Kira._" Fllay read.

The girls gasped and looked to Lacus, unable to comprehend the that the girl would say something like that.

"You know, this wouldn't have to happen if you would have just left things alone, Fllay." Lacus said and stood.

"What do you think you're doing, Lacus Clyne? Do you think that since you slept with him you're the top dog around here? Have you gone cold just like him?" Fllay sneered.

Lacus only glared at her, and the others could only stare at each other in amazement.

"Well move over, he's _mine_ and _I'm_ the reigning bitch around here! You won't take my place by his side! No one can!"

"Shut up Fllay!" Lacus yelled back, finally showing anger. "You're just a delusional little girl who never got enough attention from mommy and daddy! You use and abuse whoever you can to get what you want, because it's all about you! You don't care what happens to people when you're done with them, you only care about yourself! You're a selfish, twisted, manipulative brat!" Lacus spat, enraged.

Fllay's eyes were wide as she backed away, speechless after Lacus's rant. Her points had hit home, and they hurt. The other girls were surprised at her outburst and no one spoke for a few moments.

"Hey guys what's…going on…?" Cagalli asked as she entered the base.

"Cagalli!" Luna exclaimed and the others turned to her.

"Where have you been?"

"What happened?"

"Were you with Athrun?"

"Easy, girls, easy!" Cagalli replied with a small blush. "I'll explain just as soon as everyone tells me what's going on." She said, still looking at Lacus and Fllay.

"Apparently, the operation has begun…" Shiho told her with a sheepish expression.

"What do you mean?" Cagalli asked and looked at them all, noting their guilty faces. "You guys…"

"Short story: Fllay was on a date with Kira but Lacus interrupted, and Fllay isn't too happy about it. Stellar was trying to seduce Shinn away from Luna but apparently that didn't go well either." Meyrin replied, shooting a glance at Stellar who was calm again.

Cagalli didn't speak for a moment, still looking confused.

"Lacus and Fllay were just confronting each other about the issue; Stellar, Meyrin, and Luna already talked things out, mostly." Milly told her. "We've been waiting…until you got back. To know what to do from here."

They all looked to her expectantly and she nodded.

"Alright, I want everyone to give me a detailed report. We need to figure this all out before we can decide what our next move is." Cagalli told them and sat.

"Why don't you go first?" Milly asked with a small smile.

Cagalli's cheeks hinted at a blush again. "That can wait…"

"No it can't! You were gone all day and you just got back from who knows where! Spill it sister!"

Lacus remained silent but had sat down. Fllay cast a wary look in her direction and sat back down as well.

"Um, well, okay…" Cagalli began and sighed. "We met at the docks, Athrun and I, so I could confirm what Kira had said at the meeting. He said that they were running the same operation as we were, which explains a lot of the coincidences and why things went rather smoothly. However, he knows as much as we do about Kira's new plan."

They waited but she said no more. "That's it?" Luna asked incredulously.

"Well…" she wasn't sure if she should tell them what happened next, and decided to give them the short version. "He also confirmed that he liked me, and…" she looked down at her hand subconsciously, and the girls' eyes followed.

They gasped as she relived the moment.

_**-Flashback-**_

"_Oh, before you leave…" Athrun said when they arrived back at the dock. "I want to give you this." _

_He slipped a ring on her finger and she gasped in astonishment._

"_But…"_

"_It's no secret now, no matter what happens. I don't want to hide my feelings anymore." He told her resolutely._

_She nodded and smiled. "Me neither." She said and they kissed once again._

_**-End Flashback-**_

"So you're officially a couple now? Does that mean you're going to accept Kira's plan?" Meyrin asked.

Cagalli hesitated as she looked at her, still unsure of the girl's feelings or intentions. "Well, first let me hear what you guys have to say."

"Wait, that's seriously it? Why were you gone that long?" Milly asked.

"We went out on his boat and-,"

"But wait; there was a storm yesterday afternoon, on the seas! It barely touched us here."

"Yeah…we got stuck in it."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, we just had to land on an island and stay there until the storm calmed down. We must have dozed off…"

The girls were looking at her intently, and then started giggling. "Oh really? An island huh?" Milly asked with a devilish look.

"I'm sure it's possible to doze off on an island in the middle of the ocean during a storm, sure." Luna replied sarcastically with a smile.

"I'm serious!"

"Oh we believe you; we just think you're leaving out some juicy parts." Milly replied and winked.

Cagalli blushed again. "Hey, wait…"

"Aha! The blush says it all, Cagalli! Soooo, what really happened on that island, huh?"

* * *

"No, seriously, what did you do to my sister." Kira asked with a hint of darkness in his voice and expression.

"Uh…um…"

"Athrun…Zala…"

"Nnyahh?"

"Don't 'nyah' me! You slept with her didn't you!" Kira exclaimed.

"Didn't you sleep with Fllay last night? Or Lacus? Or…someone?" Athrun asked.

"Do not change the subject!"

"Your face is soooo red."

"Athrun! How could you do this?"

"Wasn't that…what you wanted me to do?"

"Well yes but…I didn't think you'd actually do it!"

"Hey!"

"So what? What now?" Yzak asked.

They were all gathered in the living room, discussing the events of the other day to catch up. Shinn and Kira were careful not to look at each other.

"Well apparently the enemy and Athrun are lovers now." Kira growled, but with a hint of playfulness.

"Great, so we're all in agreement." Yzak said and went to leave.

"Hold it….what?" Kira said and they all turned to Yzak.

"You know…I told you last night…"

"You said you got in a fight…"

"Yeah…and I did…so…"

"Woah, woah, woah!" Kira exclaimed. "Are you telling me…that you…and Shiho…"

"…"

"That's my boy! See, now I can't tease you anymore." Dearka said proudly.

"Oh shut up." Yzak growled embarrassedly.

"…who else slept with the enemy?" Kira asked.

"I…almost…" Shinn replied.

Kira looked to Dearka. "We just went on a date…"

He turned to Yzak and Athrun. "Unbelievable. I give you the heads up and you start bangin' 'em…control yourselves!" he yelled.

"Hey!" they both exclaimed.

"Yep…I knew it." Rey said to himself and nodded. Nicol glanced at him and blanched again.

"Images…"

"Just ignore them."

"They won't go away." He whispered.

"Think of something else then…"

"Well what about you?" Yzak asked Kira. "Didn't you nail a few last night?"

"Yeah, you didn't answer my question." Athrun replied and mirrored Yzak's crossed arms.

"That's because you were trying to change the subject." Kira scowled.

"And now that's what you're doing. So come on, spill…"

Kira scowled again. "I was close to doing Fllay…and then Lacus texted…the moment was kinda ruined." He said and shrugged.

"That's it?"

* * *

"That's it! He just pushed me out of the car and drove off!" Fllay replied exasperatedly.

"Okay then…" Cagalli replied.

"And Shinn ran away before I could take his pants off…" Stellar replied.

"Well that's…good I guess. We can still salvage this." Cagalli replied.

"What? You mean Lacus gets Kira and Luna gets Shinn? How is that fair?" Fllay asked.

"The same way it's fair that Cagalli gets Athrun, even though I like him too." Meyrin spoke up.

"You're not going to fight for him?" Fllay asked incredulously.

"Cagalli isn't my enemy. Neither is Lacus your enemy nor is Luna Stellar's enemy. We need to remember that. We need to remember why we're fighting and who we're fighting." Meyrin told her.

Cagalli nodded to her and she nodded back.

"You said it yourself: Kira is just trying to get us to fight each other so he can swoop in and take our territory, and win the war. Despite who he used to be, he's a different man now, one who is cunning and will do whatever it takes." Meyrin continued.

"But he's still the same inside." Lacus finally spoke up quietly.

"I have to admit she's right. He looked too innocent and blushed too much yesterday, even when the fitting room attendant-,"

"Let's not get off track." Cagalli interrupted as she saw Lacus begin to respond.

"Meyrin is right. We can't let him do this, we have to be stronger."

"So, you're going to accept?"

"Yes. Since we're all fully committed anyway, there's no use in turning him down now." Cagalli answered.

"So, what do _we_ do?" Meyrin asked, glancing at Fllay and Stellar.

Cagalli narrowed her eyes. "For one, keep an eye on Rey and Nicol. I'm not sure what he has planned for them. While we focus on our…individual missions…you three can run your own missions. Talk with Andy, see if Kira has anything up his sleeve, and let's get organized in case things go wrong, or in case this war ends."

"Okay. If you don't mind, I'll take lead then." Meyrin said and glanced at the other two.

Fllay sighed. "Fine, whatever."

Stellar nodded.

"Good. So, Shiho…"

"Hmm?"

They all glanced at her and she blinked.

"I see you have some new bruises…you never really told me what all happened at the meeting." Cagalli said.

"Yes, Shiho, do tell." Fllay smirked.

"Well, I was set up to see Lacus and Nicol, when I noticed that Yzak was there, undercover. Neither of the two knew he was there, but he noticed me as well. We got into a scuffle and then decided to work together on our recon missions, since there was no need to fight unless we wanted to expose ourselves."

"Uh huh…"

"Well, things didn't go very smoothly because he kept pushing me around and trying to be the boss— my emotions weren't working for me in those instances—so I found a way to turn the tables. Let's just say I had to let him violate me a bit until he backed off-,"

"Woah, what?" they all exclaimed.

"Oh, I caught some of that. He was restraining her and…I think she called him a pervert? I was focused on Kira, so I didn't see everything that happened." Lacus said.

"Right." Shiho said and nodded, then sipped from her tea.

"That's…it?"

"Oh, no, when we left I decided to head back and give him a small taste of what girls can really do." Shiho replied casually.

"Which was…?"

"Well, I kissed him till he couldn't speak, since he wanted to act like a couple and caught me off-guard earlier so some bystanders wouldn't think twice. I went ahead and took initiative, Cagalli, since things already looked to be moving in that direction."

"So are you and Yzak now a couple?"

Shiho shrugged. "I need to get him to surrender first before he'll comply to being in a relationship." She continued in a casual tone.

"No way." Fllay said. "He'll never surrender. He's too stubborn. I would know."

"Yes Fllay, you've dated almost all of them by now." Meyrin replied and rolled her eyes.

"Well, my knowledge could be useful! Listen, he's not easy to win over, but-,"

"We already screwed each other. Hint the bruises? It's only a matter of time before he surrenders. Underneath those hard, pulsating muscles, is just a softy waiting to be set free." Shiho said and sighed.

Everyone had wide eyes and gaping mouths, unable to believe or understand what she was saying. Yzak? Surrender? A softy?

"Bruises…? Those come from fights…"

"Well, we were fighting each other, technically."

"And you just ended up…?"

"I believe you call that rough sex."

* * *

"Geez, what were you doing, banging her into the wall?" Dearka exclaimed.

"…well yeah…"

"Dude! You gotta be gentle with them! You can't just break them!" his friend explained. The others looked caught between shocked and doubtful.

"She's not broken…_yet_…"

"Yzak!"

"Um, right, well…anything else you all would like to share?" Kira asked.

"I find this disturbing." Rey commented.

"The images." Nicol squeaked.

"Uh…why don't you two get the weapons ready and organize the cases we got. I'm not sure when or if Cagalli will decide to meet, but we should be prepared."

"You think you'll need weapons?" Athrun asked.

"You never know with her. Besides, just because you're together doesn't mean I won't hurt her if I have to."

"But she's your sister!"

"Yeah, and?"

"Can we…go now?" Shinn asked.

"You've been thankfully silent all this time." Yzak said and walked over.

"I told you about what happened with Stellar." He mumbled.

"So? What's your hurry?"

"Yeah, got a date with someone else now?" Dearka said as he came up on the other side of him.

Athrun caught Kira's protective glare sent their way, but no one else seemed to notice. He nudged Kira's arm and raised an eyebrow, and the leader faked ignorance.

"Well, I kinda need to talk to Luna…"

"And tell her what happened? No way." Kira declared.

"She probably already knows." Shinn scowled. "Besides, I owe her and we…just need to talk anyway."

"Good luck with that." Yzak said.

"Fine, but I want someone to come with you. Just in case." Kira said.

"What?" Shinn exclaimed.

"Athrun, go make sure he doesn't get attacked by any of them again. Please." Kira said with a dismissive look.

Athrun glanced between the two, sighed, and then nodded. "Come on, Shinn."

"No!"

"It's either that or you stay here. You can just as easily talk over the phone."

Shinn glared at him but grabbed his keys.

"Nah uh, I am _not_ straddling the back of your bike." Athrun said and grabbed his keys instead.

Shinn scowled but followed him out.

* * *

"Is everything cleared up?" Cagalli asked the girls.

"I need to speak with Shinn." Luna said and glanced at Stellar.

Cagalli nodded and glanced at Lacus and Fllay as Luna got up and went to her room.

"I'm going to wait on him." Lacus said.

"Why?" Fllay asked.

"Because I think I've done enough damage. Besides, this way we'll get to see who he's more loyal to, right?"

Fllay smirked. "In that case," she said and stood, coming toward Lacus, "let the best girl win." She declared and stuck her hand out.

Lacus eyed it warily, then shook it and smiled. "No more fighting or yelling?"

"No more fighting or yelling."

There was a sigh of relief from all the girls.

"So are you going to meet up with Kira?" Shiho asked.

"Hmm, I'm not sure that would be a good idea…" she said.

"You can't be afraid of him, Cagalli, or he's already won. Besides, we should try to negotiate the terms a bit." Shiho replied.

"Alright then, you're coming with me. I'm sure he'll bring Yzak along as well, unless he decides to bring Athrun. Either way, you'll be good support since you were at the meeting and Lacus wants to bide her time." Cagalli announced.

"Fine with me."

"Athrun and Shinn are on their way here." Luna told everyone.

"What?"

"Shinn wants to speak with me about what happened, and he doesn't want to do it over the phone. Kira sent Athrun with him. I don't feel like going anywhere right now, is it okay if they come here?" Luna said.

"Well, Shinn has asylum so he can come whenever he wants, and you can go over there—just please let me know when—but Athrun…" Cagalli said.

"That'll be perfect!" Meyrin exclaimed and looked to Cagalli.

"Yeah but…I need to meet with Kira." Cagalli said.

"Have him come here." Milly said casually.

"WHAT?"

"HELL NO!"

"…or not…"

"We can meet at Rockstar Bar again, since its neutral and so far nothing too serious has happened there." Cagalli said.

"But what about Athrun?" Luna asked.

"What about him?"

"Don't you want to see him?" she asked and the girls looked to her expectantly.

'_I think I've seen enough of Athrun Zala to last me a lifetime…'_ she thought about saying, but instead replied with, "We can see each other later, when I come back if he's still here."

"In the meantime we'll work on everything else. I can go see Andy while you're talking with Kira." Meyrin suggested.

"Good idea. They've been kind of quiet lately, plus Kira said something about a shipment. Which reminds me…he wants the rest of their shipment that we jacked."

"I almost forgot about that…" Shiho mused.

"But before I give it to him we need to confirm with Andy. So he'll just have to wait."

"And we know how patient he is…" Fllay replied sarcastically.

"I'm on it, Cagalli, do you want me to just call you when he confirms so you can discuss it with Kira while you're at it?" Meyrin asked.

"Hmmm…I really wanna make him wait…just to be a jerk…"

"We'll have to see how things go before we give them more ammo against us." Shiho said.

"True, so we'll wait." Cagalli said and Meyrin nodded.

Cagalli dialed Kira's number and Shiho gathered some knives. "Just in case."

"_Yes, slow-to-decide sister?"_ Kira answered.

"Hello my ever-so-patient brother. You up for another meeting? Same place?" she asked.

"_When?"_

"Uh, now."

"_Meh, sure. Who are you bringing?"_

Cagalli smirked. "Shiho, and you?"

"_Yzak, of course…unless they want to make out during the middle of things again…"_ Kira growled.

"_Hey! Business is business!"_ she heard Yzak call.

"Is he bringing Yzak?" Shiho whispered next to Cagalli's ear, trying to listen to the conversation.

"Yes, but only if you two behave." Cagalli replied with a warning look.

"We'll behave…" Shiho replied with a small smile. _'…during the meeting. Afterwards…who knows?' _she thought and the smile turned to a smirk.

"Okay, meet us there." Cagalli said.

"_Alright, oh and Athrun and Shinn are-,"_

"Yeah, we know. Bye."

"_Oh _now_ you're in a hurry…"_

"Oh shut up…"

They hung up after he said _"Make me."_ and she rolled her eyes.

"Ready?" she asked Shiho.

"Ready." She replied with a nod.

Meyrin gathered some things and then opened the door to reveal Shinn and Athrun, poised to knock.

"Oh, hey." she said and then walked past them outside.

"O…kay…?" Athrun replied and watched her walk away warily.

"Don't worry, come on in, Shinn." Luna said and then glanced at Cagalli.

"Both of you." Cagalli said and Athrun followed him. They glanced at each other and then Cagalli walked past him toward the door. "I'm meeting up with Kira. You guys play nice now."

"Uh…" Athrun replied, looking from her to the girls and shooting a fast look to the ring.

Cagalli smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you later."

"Oooooooo!"

"Behave!" Cagalli called and left with Shiho.

Shinn and Athrun were surrounded by women. They glanced at each other in wariness.

"Let's talk somewhere…private…" Luna said as she glanced at the girls and took Shinn aside. Athrun followed but Luna shot him a look.

"Uh…Kira wants me to make sure you girls don't try to attack Shinn again, sooo…"

"Then you can guard the door and make sure they don't eavesdrop, that way if he's in trouble you'll hear him. But don't eavesdrop. Or I'll castrate you." She replied.

His eyes widened and he nodded wordlessly. Shinn cast him a sheepish look as she followed Luna into her room. Athrun took up post by the door and shot a look in the direction of the other girls.

"I'm really sorry Luna!" Shinn exclaimed the moment the door was closed.

"It's…alright. Nothing really happened, and she was seducing and threatening you, so I can't blame you." She replied. "I just wish you would have told me your concerns."

"I didn't know I had any concerns until I realized…"

"The consequences? The responsibilities?"

"Yeah…"

"Shinn, we can make it through this, but we need to support each other. I know this sucks for you, but it also sucks for me. I may seem all happy and excited, but I'm really just scared, and worried." She confessed.

"What? I never even realized…"

"I know, because I was trying so hard to appear happy and normal so you wouldn't worry about me. But the truth is…" she looked down at her stomach and put her hand on the small bump. "The truth is that I have no future either. There's no way I can go back to high school, I'll have to get my GED; and it'll be hard to tackle college with a baby at home, especially if you're working. Life would have been hard enough, but we're in two rival gangs in the middle of a war, a war that may get worse or better depending on each person's whims. Plus my dad. He could cause some serious problems for us, Meyrin too. It's just a lot to deal with."

"I know…I wish I could help somehow." Shinn replied and took her hand.

"Let me lean on you. You have to be my support, just like I'll support you. I know what you must be going through, Shinn. Stellar's right, really. We're young and unprepared, but together we'll make it through." She told him softly.

He smiled, but felt a pang of regret. He may not have slept with Stellar, but he _did _cheat on Luna last night, with someone who caused all the problems they're currently having. Shinn's injuries were practically already healed, but the emotional trauma was still there, and the damage he caused to their relationship would make things that more difficult. He vowed never to let her know. She couldn't know, even if she wanted to, it would be too much for her to handle. It was for the best that he just kept quiet about the whole thing.

Athrun tried not to listen in to their conversation, while at the same time keeping alert in case Shinn was in trouble (although he doubted Luna would hurt him, unless she went into another mad rage over the Stellar incident). Meanwhile he was growing more worried about the girls in the base that kept sending him looks, and the fact that Kira and Cagalli were meeting face-to-face again, with two lovebirds as guards.

'_Oh boy, this is gonna be a looooong day.'_ he thought to himself.

* * *

**-Author's Note: That's all I have for this chappy, although the next chappy will hold Kira and Cagalli's meeting, as well as Mey's talk with Andy, so be on the lookout! My steam is running out so I'm not sure when I'll next update, but it should be sooner rather than later (lol). Anyway, if anyone is still confused as to what happened in the previous chappy, or what the heck these people are all talking about, feel free to ask in your review. Also, you still can't get mad for the sexual content (see rating). Just sayin'. Soooo lemme know what ya think! Peace out!-**


	43. Chapter 43: Unspoken Thoughts

**Chapter 43: Unspoken Thoughts**

**Disclaimer:**** Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny do not belong to me, unfortunately.**

**Warning:** **Mature content and etc. See previous warnings and take note of the rating.**

* * *

As Cagalli drove she couldn't keep her mind away from the weight of the ring on the finger of her left hand and the tingling sensation of Athrun's soft skin on her lips. When she arrived back at the base she was determined to lock the Island Incident away in the back of her mind, in order to deal with the current situation. Now she found that closet within her mind rattling fiercely, demanding release. She wasn't sure whether opening it up right now would be the best thing to do, but if it kept the damned thing silent in her head while she spoke with Kira, it might just save her sanity.

She took a deep breath and tried to forget that Shiho was in the car beside her, even though she knew the girl was probably thinking of her lover as well, not paying any attention to Cagalli. Still, a blush crept upon her face as she allowed herself to remember the dark cave on the island…

_Athrun's fingers through her hair, causing goose bumps to rise all over and the hairs on her arms to prick upwards._

_His warm touch on her cold skin, instantly bringing comfort and the heat of passion._

_The feel of his slick, toned abdomen as she ran her fingertips across his body, feeling him shudder._

_She could even still feel his lips as buzzing sensations on her; her neck, her face, her arms, her chest…_

She blinked and shook her head as her vision began to grow hazy. She had to focus on the road, not on his tongue…

It wasn't just the intimacy that they shared, it was much more. They gave themselves to one another, as only humans could, entrusting their very souls in the capable hands of their mates. She connected with him; a deep, searing tie that she had yearned for as long as she had known what yearning was. It made her feel complete, whole. She wasn't aware that she was missing pieces until he filled the gaps with his. It was like she was finally happy, and all those times before when she thought her smile couldn't get any brighter, or her laughter couldn't be louder, were just mediocre joys.

She didn't know if Athrun felt the same way, but she now understood what love was, and the price she was willing to pay to keep it.

* * *

Athrun didn't realize he had tuned out everything else inside the base, and was only hearing Cagalli's voice in his head, until the door he was leaning on opened from the inside and he felt himself falling backwards. He moved his leg back to catch his fall but still felt a rush of embarrassment at his incompetence to pay attention to his surroundings.

"You don't have to guard the door anymore, Athrun, we're done. Good job though." Luna said, and he couldn't tell if he sensed some sarcasm in her voice or not. It appeared that Shinn couldn't tell either, because he gave a slight shrug behind her.

"Well that was quick. I didn't take you for a minute man, Shinn." Fllay commented from the living room where she was lounging in a chair and filing her claw-like nails.

"We didn't—!" he almost snapped when Luna cut him short.

"Don't mind her; she's a bit feisty today."

Fllay stuck her tongue out at her and glanced at Shinn, then apparently decided he wasn't worth longer than a few seconds to look over and went back to her nails.

Athrun shook his head, but took the time to subtly look around the base. It was ironic that the boys would have given anything to be inside like this, able to look over the girls' stronghold interior and check for their weapons and technology. Now, however, their mission wasn't reconnaissance. It was love. He almost missed the days where they just fought and spied on each other; it was simple enough that he could keep his emotions out of the way, stowed inside his head for only him to know and feel.

But that was gone now. He would have to finally use his emotions in this war to win the battles. Since nothing seemed amiss, he let himself sift through these emotions, especially the ones concerning Cagalli and their time spent on The Island. He was used to keeping his feelings locked away, and now letting them loose nearly frightened him. He wasn't sure what he would find.

Cagalli's voice was still clearer in his mind than the chatter of the Pokitknives as they questioned Shinn and Luna or discussed the future of the couple. He leaned back against the wall and remained quiet as his memories rolled around, coming to the surface for him to view and actually feel.

It was then that he realized the depth of his love for the blonde-haired leader of this group. It wasn't just lust; it wasn't just a liking of her personality. It was more than a wanting—it was a need, a necessary addition to his life. Without her he was nothing, and with her he wanted nothing else. She was his breath of life, his sustenance and shelter. He didn't need a roof over his head, food in his belly, or oxygen pulsing through his lungs to survive. He just needed her (figuratively speaking, of course).

The bonus was the fact that she was an excellent lover. The way their bodies melded together in that cave on the beach was like they were two pieces of a whole; two halves finally brought together. They were meant to fit inside each other's niches, carved out of the same stone. He was hers, and she was his. They belonged together.

And Athrun Zala would make sure that they would never be separated again. He was willing to bleed for it.

* * *

Shiho didn't notice that the car was slowly drifting into the other lane as Cagalli relived her memories. She was too busy reminiscing about her own encounters.

When she was asked to come and help by Cagalli, she didn't expect to fall in love, especially not with the enemy she was supposed to be fighting. She didn't understand the concept of love among foes, and thought that Shinn and Luna were just weird people. But when she finally got here, she could tell that she had stepped into a world where love and hate were blurred together, so that one could hate a person and still fall in love. It was like the two opposite emotions could just switch places from time to time, just to confuse the hell out of the targets.

She felt like she was trapped inside another dimension, a wormhole that meddled with the feelings of its victims and turned emotions around inside their minds. She called it The Cursed Place in her head.

But now, thinking about it, she wasn't so sure it was a curse after all; maybe more like a gift. Without this warped sense of amorous living, the two gangs would be fighting to the death, leaving no survivors and only a trail of bloodshed. But now, their lives were being saved by the one emotion that could rip apart everything else and still leave the body intact: Love.

She never thought much of love. It was nature's way of getting the population to procreate, like lust, and so she shrugged it off and didn't let herself dream of a white wedding and a settled down family. She was a soldier, her job was to fight and one day die for her country. But once she stepped into the world of Pokitknives versus Bloodlust, her views changed.

She believed in love, she felt it in her bones. It was stronger than hatred; it could save the lives doomed to death and blood. It would save them. It would save her.

She thought it fitting that the object of her interest would be Yzak Joule. Who else was better suited for her? She couldn't stand a sensitive man, or one who didn't like being a bit rough. He was the part she needed, and she knew that it was the same for him. They were people that required specific standards to be met. Shiho knew that Yzak met her standards perfectly, and hoped that she met his.

Because then it would be easier to get him to surrender. It would cost a lot, but in the end it would be worth it.

* * *

Yzak was silent on the way to Rockstar Bar where they were meeting Cagalli and Shiho. The little comments they made over the phone showed more than he wanted. He could feel himself slipping, falling over some edge into the unknown.

What was this? Why was he feeling this way, why was he letting his emotions take control and spin him around until he couldn't see straight? He scowled as he contemplated what could possibly be wrong with him. He noted the symptoms: He kept thinking about Shiho, his body remembered every touch they shared, every taste, his rashness was heightened and lead by something other than hatred and anger, or even pride for that matter. What did it all add up to? What was the prognosis for his disease?

He tried to think outside of his usual logic. He tried to think like Dearka. He grimaced as he did so. Yeah, she was hot. Yeah, she was good at sex—great at sex. Holy shit did she rock his world.

Wait…where did _that_ come from?

He shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut, leaning against the seat cushion to get those thoughts out of his brain. Dearka was a bad influence. But he was right.

Yzak wasn't gay. He didn't like other males. He tolerated women only because he could see their usefulness—but he wasn't about to take advantage of that. He didn't require a woman on his arm to be happy. He loved his mother, sure, but she deserved it. What slut thought that he should love her too?

Of course, he thought all of this _before_ he met Shiho Hahnenfuss. Now things were different. Now he understood a little bit about how men could go crazy over women, how Shinn would do whatever Luna wanted, how Kira would spare Lacus. But he was in denial. He wasn't as bad as them. He and Shiho just fucked, that was it.

But he knew there was more to it. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he knew he cared for her more than the act. He didn't want to say the "L" word, he didn't even want to say he liked her, but he wanted to be with her more. He enjoyed her company, he enjoyed when they talked, they had a lot in common and she was the type of woman that he could consider being with for the long term.

She wasn't high maintenance, she wasn't ditzy, and she wasn't a slut; instead she was smart, tough, and could handle herself on her own. She didn't need protecting or a knight in shining white armor—because he was NOT a knight in shining white armor—but the feel of his arms around her gave him a warmness he had never come across before. They were content to sit in silence with each other, their hands touching but not holding, looking up into the night sky at the stars above.

He wasn't sentimental, nor was he a romantic, but if he was to fall in love with anyone, he had to admit that Shiho was a good enough pick. He was even willing to fight for it.

* * *

Lacus sat in her room, gazing at the ceiling and thinking about her life and love. She was so worried that she almost went crazy with the pain of losing Kira to Fllay. She was sick with fear that he would slip out of her fingers and she would have to face the fact that he had changed. She was concerned that he wouldn't be the same little boy she knew and had fallen for, and he was in fact a monster that couldn't be caged.

Her fear was what made her do that desperate act. She wanted them both to think she was bold and confident when she sent those messages: The song she sang for him, the texts about Fllay to interrupt their date. Now she didn't know what to do. She was all out of steam but didn't want to let go of him. She knew she wouldn't survive mentally or physically if he went with Fllay instead of her. She couldn't bear to be shut out of his heart and cast away from his light.

Even though he was mostly consumed with darkness, she could still see the flicker of fire inside of him, brightening his smile and shining out of his face. It was that light she loved, that small little hope of a dream she once had. She knew that behind the coldness of his hard skin he was warm inside because of that fire, and he was soft and vulnerable, hiding behind a shell to remain strong. She wanted to reach past that outer layer and hug him, holding her to him and telling him everything would be okay if he would just shed his skin.

She wanted him to know that she would protect him. She would be his strength. He didn't need to fight anymore, he didn't need to do those terrible things to get respect, and he didn't need to cause fear to spread throughout his enemies. He could rest his head on her shoulder and cry, letting go of all the pain and anger he held inside. It hurt her to see him shoulder the weight of the world, carrying that burden alone. It pained her to see his eyes go dark and hard when she knew he wanted to let the tears stream down his face.

She wanted him to know it was okay. It was okay to be weak, it was okay to cry. It was okay to be human. He didn't need to be a monster. He didn't need to prove his mother and father right or wrong. He just needed to be himself. He needed to just be him, with her.

A tear rolled down her cheek and splashed onto her hand as she clutched it to her chest. The searing ache in her heart was trying to consume her, wracking her body with tremors of violence as she sobbed.

She just wanted him to know that she loved him, no matter what, so he didn't have to fight any longer.

* * *

Kira glanced over at Yzak and saw the scowl on his face. He let the edges of his mouth turn up, because he knew the man was thinking about Shiho and trying to decipher his feelings for her. He couldn't believe his friend and sometimes enemy was finally in love. He would never admit it, of course, but they all knew.

One by one they were all falling. He was only confident because this was exactly what he had planned, but he also knew that if he fell over that edge, there would be no rope to cling to. Not anymore. It would be his last stand. He was reluctant to take that step and allow his body to hover in mid-air, then drop, steadily increasing in speed. He knew what lay ahead; the fall would have to end soon, and he would be smashed, crushed into the pavement on the ground. He would be dead. That was the only way now, the end of the fall. No one could escape it. That's why it was called "falling in love".

Sure love was great. He longed for it more than anyone could ever imagine. He needed it more than anything else. It was his savior. But unlike the others, he saw the end of it all. He saw not the light at the end of the tunnel, but the darkness of the afterwards. He wasn't naïve, not anymore. He knew the cost, the pain, and the results. He was prepared—or so he thought, or so he hoped.

The truth was…he was afraid. He was willing to orchestrate all of this, to make his friends fall, knowing the crash and blood splatter of the end, but he couldn't make himself follow. He wanted to stand at that edge and look down on them all, reminding him of the reason why he shut his heart off and didn't allow it to open for anyone.

He wanted to be strong, he didn't want to break. All around him his friends were already breaking into pieces, slowly coming apart. But they didn't mind, they were okay with it. He didn't have that sense of contentment. The adrenaline pulsed through his veins and threatened to rip a scream from his throat. He swallowed to hold that scream in. He couldn't let it out.

But he knew that, in the end, he would take a hold of Lacus's hand, close his eyes, and step forward off of that ledge. He would feel the wind through his hair and gravity take its toll as they flew toward the bottom. And he knew that he would be happy, and no longer worried. He wouldn't be afraid of the end, he wouldn't think of anyone else. He would only see her eyes behind his eyelids.

But he wasn't there yet. He wasn't at the point where he could willingly take that step forward in life. He still had weights chained to his arms and legs. He knew that if he leapt now, he would be pulled down faster than she would, their fingers would come loose, and while she rose to the sky he would hurtle toward the ground and Hell beyond. He had to unleash these heavy balls and chains in order to rise above it with her.

All this he knew, and the knowledge made his head feel heavy. His limbs felt weighted. He felt like he was drowning, clawing for the surface and only sinking deeper. His heart started beating out of control, and the scream crawled back up his throat, but he sucked in a deep breath to calm himself. It was just his nerves. He was fine; he was driving, not in the water.

Vaguely he realized that he was reliving the shark encounter, and he was frightened by it. He never told anyone, but he was scared that day. He was afraid that he would die. That was why he was so angry, it was the fear hiding beneath his rage, making it stronger. But he couldn't let anyone know. They could never know.

Kira Yamato was deathly afraid of love. And now sharks within the ocean. He definitely wouldn't go swimming for a while…

* * *

Meyrin pulled up at Guns and Ammo, the weapons shop Andy owned, with Fllay and Stellar in tow. They needed to see if The Reapers knew anything worth knowing. They also needed to figure out if the boys were telling the truth about a job that promised a large shipment of ammo.

As they walked into the store, Mey thought it was a bit funny how The Reapers helped each gang out; even though they were supposed to _protect_ the city and prevent gang warfare from overrunning the perimeters, they helped them get weapons and money for the base. What's more, it was almost like a game to them. The Pokitknives were Andy's toys, while Bloodlust was Mwu's. The other members were usually neutral. She also pondered what would happen with the Reapers now that they were short a member.

"Hello ladies." Andy called when he saw them walk in. They smiled and made their way to the back room. He finished up a purchase and met them in a meeting room.

"So by now I'm assuming you've heard the good news." He began as he sat down at the long table.

"If by good news you mean we have a shipment of weapons on the way, then yes." Mey answered.

"Right. However, I believe you're still in possession of weapons reserved for Bloodlust." He responded and raised his eyebrows.

She wanted to make a comment about how the Reapers seemed to be toying with them but held her tongue. He was helping them, which was better than leaving them to their own devices while Mwu snuck the Bloodlust weapons.

"Yes. We stole half their shipment because we didn't want them getting their hands on more weaponry. We were unaware that we had our own package coming." The tone in her voice told him that he had a lot of explaining to do.

Fllay and Stellar held serious expressions matching Meyrin's, so he gave them a sheepish look. "Hey, I was _just_ about to call and tell you! I've just been a bit busy taking over Rau's Place…"

"Well we're here now, so you can give us the details." Fllay told him.

"Of course. It's coming tomorrow; same docks, same time. However, I'd prefer it if you gave the boys back their stuff first—just to make things fair." He replied.

"What's the point of 'making things fair'? Why are you guys—and by that I mean you and Mwu, as Reapers—helping our gangs?" Meyrin finally asked.

He was silent for a moment, overtaken by a somber expression, and then began to explain: "For the simple fact that, since you two are determined to have your silly war, we'd like to control some small part of it. It's not enough to monitor the situation and clean up your messes when they spill out into public territory. If we supply the weapons and ammunition, we control the battles and ultimately the fighting strength of your forces. We like to keep things even to prevent a slaughter or bloodbath. We want you to figure out how to win your war without as much bloodshed, but we'll aid you if your pathway needs a knife here or a gun there. That's why Mwu helps out the Bloodlust Boys, and I help out you Pokitknives Girls. Durandal and Rau pull strings more as a clean-up measure to keep you all out of trouble with the law, because that wouldn't be good for any of us, now would it?"

"But how do you benefit from all this? Are you deciding who will win and who will lose? What do you get from either outcome?" Meyrin retorted.

"We aren't controlling outcomes; at least we're not trying to. We're not biased as a whole. We benefit by getting you to do odd jobs for us, selling you your weapons for battle, and being able to oversee the fighting." He told her as a matter-of-fact.

"But what will happen when this all ends? What will you do when it's over?" Stellar spoke up.

"We'll lose our favorite customers, but we'll be happy knowing that at least one less gang is off the streets. However, I'm hoping that this will end in a draw, or at least a peace treaty. I'd hate to see you girls lose, but I don't know what you would do if you won. So really the question is what will _you_ do when it's all over?" he replied.

It was their turn to stay silent. Glances were being exchanged. They'd been discussing this for so long, but still no clear answer appeared. "We don't know yet, or if this will ever end. It may last until generations to come, it may turn into something else, or it may die out when we get tired of fighting or forget what we were fighting for. But if it does end, we haven't decided what our next step will be."

He seemed pleased with that answer, but only because he knew they had a long way to go to finding their purpose. "What about Luna's baby?"

"We're in the process of dealing with that. In nine months we'll probably have to find a better answer to your question."

"Do you think it'll be over when the baby is born?"

"Who knows? Kira's a wild card at this point. We never know what he's up to. Speaking of which, did you happen to hear anything that could be of use to us?"

He shrugged. "I've heard rumors of a 'Love Game' Kira might have proposed, but I didn't take much stock in it. It seemed pretty far-fetched. Other than that, the night is silent."

Mey nodded to herself and the girls looked to her. "Sounds good then." She didn't know if it was a good idea to let the Reapers in on the latest installment to their war. With the puppy dog look Andy was giving her, and the fact that she could tell he wasn't telling them something, she gave in. "It's true, the rumor. Kira made this into a fight for love. We have to pair up into couples and get each other to surrender. Less fighting, more opportunity to fall in love, since most of our members have been hooking up. I guess that's what you get with an all-girls gang going head-to-head with an all-boys gang."

"Aha…"

"Now tell us your secret. I know you're hiding something."

"Well, I'm not necessarily _hiding_ anything, I'm just not _telling_ you something."

"Well now's your chance." She said and waited.

"Alright, since the boys already know, we might as well tell you now. Although if you wait a little longer you'll find out soon enough. It was a lovely surprise we set up." He said.

"We've waited long enough if the guys already know."

"Fine. We have received a new member to The Reapers, a replacement of Rau." He announced.

All three leaned forward, attentive to his next words. "Her name is Murrue Ramius. She was the detective involved with Shinn and Luna's incident. She quit her job due to Chief Hawke and decided that she would contribute by joining us. It was Gilbert's idea.

Mwu loves it, of course. I think she's a rather good addition. She got the force off the shipment meant for the boys, just like she'll keep them off your tails as well. She'll be a great help, no doubt."

The girls were stunned by this news. "Are you serious? Andy, this could be a trap. She's a _detective_!"

"She _was_ a detective. She was tired of doing things by the law book and wanted to take justice into her own hands. I commend her efforts."

"Well this shit just keeps getting weirder and weirder." Fllay commented. "Although it's about time you got a female member. Maybe she can straighten you guys out."

Andy didn't comment on the boldness of her statement. Stellar looked confused but unconcerned.

"Is there anything else you'd like to tell us?" Meyrin asked with an exasperated sigh, unsure if she was prepared for more news.

"Nope, I think that's it. Would you like some coffee? I got in a lot of good beans today!" he practically sang.

"Stellar likes coffee."

"Okay fine, we'll try your coffee."

"Excellent!"

* * *

"So…here we are." Kira said as he sat across the table from Cagalli and Shiho, Yzak beside him. He glanced between the two to make sure they weren't about to jump each other's bones during the meeting. So far their expressions were neutral and they made a good show of not looking at each other. At least for now…

"Yep…here we are." Cagalli replied. There was an awkward moment of silence as they fiddled with the menus. Since their gang activities were beginning to affect the bar they decided they needed to contribute or else risk getting kicked out.

"Ooo, the soup sounds good." Shiho commented and Cagalli glanced at her oddly. Kira caught Yzak shoot a glance at his lover and then down to the menu.

"Mhm." He replied.

Shiho glanced up with a small smile and the two shared a look.

Cagalli sighed. "So, obviously, I'll be accepting your plan."

"Yeah, I thought you would." Kira responded quickly. "Besides, I already started the tally, so it's official."

"Tally? What tally?"

"Who already surrendered to who." Kira answered.

"And those scores would be..?" Cagalli probed.

Kira smirked. "Well, Luna already surrendered to Shinn, so that gives us a lead."

Shiho cleared her throat but kept looking at the menu as she said "Dearka must not have mentioned the fact that he surrendered to Milly already as well. Or at least agreed to once everything was official. So if you're going to count Luna's surrender, you need to count Dearka's as well. I believe that makes us tied." and sipped her tea.

Kira's eye twitched and he was silent for a moment as Cagalli smirked back at him. Then he whirled on Yzak.

"Alright, you better make her surrender and wipe that smug attitude off her face!" he whispered furiously.

"Oh I will, just give me time…and _you_ gotta make Lacus surrender or I'm staging a coup." Yzak replied, also whispering.

"I _can_ hear you, and you're _not_ going to win, Joule." Shiho replied in a clear voice, staring him down.

"Don't think for a second that I'll surrender to you, Hahnenfuss." Yzak retorted.

"Oh I'll make you surrender, one way or the other." She answered calmly.

Kira and Cagalli watched the back and forth match as the tension built. Yzak was getting angry now.

"The hell you will!" he yelled and slammed his hands down.

"Okay guys, take it down a notch." Kira told him as they started leaning closer across the table.

They sat back and Yzak glared at her while she smirked. Then they noticed that their feet could touch and started kicking at each other.

"Stop playing footsies!" Cagalli ordered and glanced around at the other patrons. People were staring at them oddly or giggling at the obvious show of intimacy.

"Seriously Yzak, you're embarrassing me." Kira confessed.

"You embarrass me all the time." Yzak muttered with a pink tint to his cheeks.

"Ready to order?" the waitress asked with a smile.

* * *

**-Author's Note: I finally updated, yay! I feel like this chapter was really good, even though it was mostly filler. I don't have my notes with me so the meeting will have to be continued in the next chapter (Hahaha, the Return of the Cliffhangers!) so please bear with me. I added some fluff to recount all of the love stuff going on between the couples. Shinn and Luna already spoke their piece, so they didn't get a little snippet in this, but the other couples haven't really spoken too much about things, and so these are all unspoken but known (hence the chapter title). At least I got the meeting with Andy down, and now the girls know about Murrue, so we're pretty much all caught up. I'm not saying this is the end, but it's getting pretty close. I already thought of the best title for the last chapter…whenever that will be. I'll try to update again once I have my notes with me, but don't hold me to that promise. A few reminders every once in a while will do well though, because I really love writing this fic! Anyway, let me know what you think; any questions, comments, ideas, etc. are welcome! Peace out-**


	44. Chapter 44: Retribution

**Chapter 44: Retribution**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own any of the characters or references to the anime/manga series Gundam Seed or Gundam Seed Destiny. The gang names and concepts of this fiction were productions of my own mind.**

**Warning:**** Mature content. See previous warnings for full details.**

* * *

"So…you gonna give us the rest of our package?" Kira asked after they ordered.

Cagalli glanced at Shiho, who shrugged. "Not until we get ours." She answered.

Kira scowled. "That's not fair; you'll be at an advantage."

"And if we give you the rest of yours back, _you'll_ be at an advantage. So we wait." She replied.

They glared at each other for a moment, silent, both trying to outsmart the other. Shiho and Yzak exchanged a few glances. Finally Shiho sighed. "I've been thinking…why not just make the switch while we're getting our shipment? Once we know we have our part, we can give them the rest of theirs."

"Yes but…they might try to steal ours as well." Cagalli whispered to her.

"We _can_ hear you." Yzak sneered. Shiho kicked at him underneath the table and he jumped a bit, "Ow!"

"That's rude of you to assume, Cagalli." Kira added before any more childishness went on.

Cagalli gave him a level look. "Just smart business planning, Kira. Don't pretend you're innocent. For all we know you could pull more of your crazy stunts just to screw with us. I'm not taking any chances, not after what happened with Luna."

"That score has been settled, dear sister."

"I'm still watching my back, _brother_." She replied. Tension built up around them, thick and heavy in the air.

"Well, we could get The Reapers to come and watch over things. Isn't that what they normally do? They prepared all of this; they should oversee it so things don't get out of hand." Shiho said to break the silence.

"That's true; the detective must have been watching us, since she appeared so fast." Yzak mumbled to Kira.

"Alright, I can agree to that. We'll ask Mwu." Kira responded.

"Then we'll ask Andy." Cagalli answered.

"By the way girls, have you heard the news?" Kira asked, a smug look spreading across his face.

Cagalli and Shiho glanced at each other quizzically. "What news?" they replied in unison.

Before he could speak Cagalli's phone went off. She answered it quickly after seeing it was from Meyrin.

"_You're not going to believe this. We just got done with Andy. He confirmed our shipment."_ Mey told her.

"Well that's good. Kira was just asking about that." Cagalli said.

"_Yeah, tomorrow, same time, same place. But there's more."_

"What?"

"_There's a new Reaper: Former Detective Murrue Ramius. I don't like it, but Andy seemed convinced she's legit. Has Kira mentioned anything about it yet?"_ Mey asked.

Cagalli's eyes widened and she turned to Shiho, put the phone to her shoulder, and whispered the news into her ear.

"What? Since when do cops turn into gangsters?" she asked a bit loudly, due to her surprise.

"Ahh…so now you know." Kira said, smirking.

Cagalli shot him a glare and got up, nodding to Shiho who remained seated, while she continued the conversation.

"Sucks being the last to know everything, huh?" Yzak leered at her, leaning back with his arms crossed with a cocky expression.

Instead of answering Yzak, she turned to Kira. "You think it might be a trap? Seems fishy to me. Wasn't she investigating the event with Lunamaria and Shinn?"

Kira frowned slightly. "Yes, she was, but we settled that."

"So I heard, at the price of Shinn returning to school. I must commend his efforts, it's hard getting out of gang life, but this just might be his lucky ticket." She replied.

Yzak furrowed his eyebrows, glancing at Kira. "How did she know that? _I_ didn't even know that!" he exclaimed.

"Sucks to be the last to know, huh?" Shiho retorted, smiling.

Yzak kicked at her, and she kicked back. He swiveled around to get a better shot but accidentally nailed Kira in his injured leg.

Kira swore and punched Yzak in the arm, who also cursed and raised his arm to punch back but paused. Kira gave him a warning look, rubbing his leg. Yzak glanced at Shiho and slowly lowered his hand to the table.

"That's it, you're switching sides." Kira declared and got up.

"What?" Yzak asked, still sitting.

"Get out and go sit by her or leave. I'm tired of dealing with your little games with each other." Kira snapped, although without anger.

Yzak looked at him questioningly, but did as he was told. He slid in beside Shiho who scooted over to allow him room. She smiled at him again and he half-smirked back at her.

Cagalli came back to the table, pocketing her phone, when she glanced up. Raising an eyebrow at the placement, she eyed the two love guards.

"Kira made us switch places." Shiho told her.

"They were playing footsies. It was annoying." Kira grumbled.

"Alright then." Cagalli answered and sat next to Kira.

There was an awkward moment before the waitress arrived with their food.

"So what do you think of Murrue becoming a Reaper?" Kira asked when they began to eat.

Cagalli looked up at Shiho, opening her mouth to answer when she noticed another strategic move Kira made by forcing them to change seats. They couldn't exactly whisper to each other from across the table. She cleared her throat and turned toward Kira. "Well, I just wonder why she decided to quit her day job to join them. It feels a bit odd."

"That's what I said." Shiho added.

"Well, I think she has noble intentions. She knew what was going on between Luna and Shinn; she probably didn't want to be forced to arrest one of them. Either she locked Luna up for stabbing Shinn, or locked Shinn up because the Chief wants his head on a silver platter. Instead of going by the book, she wanted to take matters into her own hands. At least, that's how Mwu explained it." Kira answered.

The girls mulled it over while chewing their food, glancing at each other. Shiho and Yzak bumped shoulders, chuckling slightly. Both Cagalli and Kira kept a watchful eye over their movements, like parents watching their child's first date.

"Meyrin thinks it could be a ploy to finally bring us all in. You know Hawke finally realizes who we all are. He could have made her an undercover to catch us. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens. Maybe they'll send her again to watch over the exchange." Cagalli replied.

"Maybe. So when and where do you want to do this thing?" Kira asked.

"Well Andy confirmed the shipment is arriving tomorrow, same time and place yours was. I guess we'll meet up there." Cagalli answered.

"Do you really believe The Reapers would show if we asked them?" Shiho asked and drank the rest of her tea.

"They should." Cagalli grumbled.

"They better." Kira answered.

"This soup is really good." Yzak announced. Everyone looked at him with odd expressions as he slurped it down. He slowly turned to meet their stares, ending with Shiho, shrugging. "What? It is…"

"Yeah, I agree." She replied and also slurped it down. They shared a smile, then noticed Cagalli and Kira still looking at them weirdly and coughed, turning back to the food.

"Do you guys have some kind of secret code or something?" Kira asked.

"Seriously, I don't even understand you two." Cagalli added.

"Is soup a sex move? What would that be, a semen shower or something?" Kira continued.

"Is there some language—woah! Ew, gross, Kira!" Cagalli exclaimed while Yzak and Shiho made similar remarks.

Kira held his hands up in surrender. "I'm just sayin'…" he said as his defense.

"I worry about you sometimes, little brother." Cagalli murmured, shaking her head as she speared a piece of meat with her fork.

"I worry about you as well, little sister, especially with Athrun as your lover…"

Cagalli almost choked on her food. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked. This time Shiho and Yzak were watching them carefully. Kira shrugged his shoulders and ate another piece. Cagalli looked over at Yzak. "What's he talking about?"

Yzak also shrugged. "I dunno."

Kira was smirking at his clever trick as Cagalli tried to figure out the meaning behind his words.

Shiho narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing him. "I have to admit, you're good at the mind games. Crazy, but cunning." She told him.

"Thanks…I guess?" he responded.

"He gets all his ideas from me." Yzak whispered. She giggled but rolled her eyes.

"So you're the one that came up with the Love Games?" she asked.

"Uh, no. That one is all him. I come up with the _good_ ideas, while he owns all the crazy stuff." Yzak replied.

"Are you pretending to be Athrun again? I don't remember this version of your impersonation." Kira remarked.

"Hey! Why would I pretend to be that loser? I'm fine just the way I am." He answered hotly.

"Yes you are…" Shiho murmured, giving him a once-over. A rosy blush appeared on Yzak's face by way of response.

"He does impersonations?" Cagalli asked Kira, ignoring the couple.

"So I'm told, but only around Dearka. He thinks Nicol and Shinn will tattle-tale, Rey won't care, and he wouldn't dare do it while Athrun and I are around." Kira told her.

"I'm no coward, there's just no need to impersonate someone who's already there." Yzak retorted.

"Uh huh, sure Yzak." Kira said.

Yzak scowled, but Shiho laid a hand on his arm. Kira's taunt was soon forgotten.

"I bet he'll give in." Cagalli whispered to Kira while the two were distracted.

"No way, he never gives up." Kira replied.

"They'll probably last until the very end. The Battle of Iron Wills, we'll call it." Cagalli mumbled.

"That would be a good deciding match. Assuming we'll be even by that time."

"We're even now. I think things will be close."

"Well I for one won't be surrendering to anyone." Kira declared.

"Not even to Lacus?" Cagalli asked, eyeing him.

"Nope. Besides, she won't press her suit. I should be more worried about Fllay."

"I won't surrender to Athrun, if that's how you think things will go."

"I wouldn't underestimate him."

"Then don't underestimate me. I highly doubt Athrun will force me to surrender anyway. He's too noble."

"Tch, noble my ass. He's a leech." Yzak growled.

Shiho elbowed him in the ribs. "Oh shut it, jealous little monster."

"I'm _not_ jealous."

"If there weren't rumors about you and Dearka, I might be worried about you leaving me for Athrun." Shiho remarked.

The table went silent.

She glanced around, unaware of her poor joke. "I was kidding by the way. I have no doubts about your…interests."

Yzak turned to face her. "You sure? 'Cause I have no problem proving to you that I'm not gay." He answered in a low voice.

She shuddered and replied in kind. "I don't know…I may need some re-convincing."

"Right now?" he asked, still in a low voice.

"The alley where we first met sounds like a nice place to return to." She answered.

She quickly scooted out of the bench and Yzak threw some cash down before chasing Shiho out of the restaurant. Kira and Cagalli watched them, then turned to each other and shrugged.

"I have to admit…there are a lot of couples between our two gangs. Not to mention love triangles…or foursomes…or whatever you have going on." Cagalli said.

"What do you mean?" Kira asked.

"Kira, we all know about Shinn. We've known since the beginning. Now Fllay and Lacus will be fighting for you, and I just…" she trailed off. He gave her his full attention, face growing serious. "I just have to know that their efforts won't be wasted." She continued without meeting his eye.

"Wasted how?" Kira asked. When she didn't respond, he lowered his eyebrows. "Say it, Cagalli. Why do you think their efforts would be wasted?"

"Because…in case you…I don't know…choose Shinn." She finally let out.

"Shinn already surrendered to Luna." Kira growled.

"That doesn't mean anything. You could still have feelings for him, and he have feelings for you." She murmured, still not meeting his stare.

He was angry at the fact that she could be right. He had to admit the thought of Shinn submitting to him made his pants a little tighter. He knew he had to move on, was trying to move on, but something was holding him back. Those weights were getting heavy.

"I'm sorry if I spoke out of turn. It's none of my business." She added softly, picking at the remains of her food.

"No…it's…it's a valid concern. But don't worry. I have no intention of messing up my own plans by fall—by chasing after Shinn." He covered quickly.

"So…who then?" she prodded.

He considered whether to tell her or not, figuring she already knew anyway. "Well, Fllay isn't relationship material. At least, not for me." He finally said, giving her something to nibble on.

"Is this game of yours really about relationships?" she asked.

He let himself smile. "Maybe. Maybe not." He replied. She scowled but gave up on trying to weasel information out of him.

The waitress dropped the checks off, noticing the empty seats as she picked up the plates. Cagalli reached for hers but Kira snatched it up. "I've got this. Get your girl and shoo. We'll see you tomorrow." He told her and made a shooing motion with his hands.

She sighed but got up, looking around for the other two. She caught a glimpse of movement by the windows and assumed they weren't done yet with…whatever they were doing.

Kira laid some cash down with Yzak's money and got up to leave.

"Oh, there's one more thing." Cagalli said with an unreadable look.

Kira looked a bit confused. "Yeah, what?" he asked warily. He wasn't able to dodge her knee as she brought it up to his crotch. He caught the edge of the table for support and winced.

"That's for…well, a lot of things. Mainly for your little surprise about the Love Games. You sent the girls into a flurry when they found out. So there." She said and walked off. She tried to tell herself not to feel guilty and that he deserved it, but she felt rude kicking a guy in the nuts after he just paid for lunch.

Kira sucked in a breath, squeezing his eyes shut until the pain passed. That was the second time someone kicked him in the balls within a twenty-four hour period. He felt a bit concerned for his health, but then shrugged it off.

He left Rockstar Bar and saw Yzak leaning against the car. "Have fun?" he asked sarcastically as they got in.

"Yeah." Yzak replied, grinning.

Kira shook his head. "And you say _I'm_ the crazy one around here."

Yzak wasn't paying attention to him, but instead gazing out of the window.

He was reminded of their drive here and shook his head to keep away the thoughts arising from the deepest pit of his mind. He couldn't think about what Cagalli said. Not now.

When they got back to the base Athrun and Shinn were already there, waiting in the living room with the rest of the boys.

"So how'd it go?" Athrun asked.

"We're getting the rest of our stuff when they get theirs. Andy confirmed their shipment is arriving at the docks the same time we got ours. We'll rendezvous with them to exchange the goods. The Reapers will watch over the process, as soon as I convince Mwu." Kira announced.

There were murmurs as the others discussed this. Shinn wouldn't look at him, and he in turn refused to acknowledge the boy. However, he had to know what he and Luna discussed.

He waved his hand to dismiss the others except for Athrun and Shinn. "Your turn to report."

Athrun glanced at Shinn and began. "The girls didn't exhibit any threat. I stood guard while Shinn and Luna talked."

Both turned to the raven-haired, red-eyed teen. "Which is none of your business…sir."

Kira sighed. "Fine, I'll accept that. I just wanted to make sure things went smoothly. Did you get a good look at their base?" he turned to Athrun.

He nodded and Shinn looked up sharply, eyeing the two. "They had no spyware systems set up to monitor us. And like I said, they didn't make a move when we arrived. Seems like they're holding up their end of the deal."

"Of course they are." Shinn snapped. "Is that the real reason why you sent him with me? To do _recon_?"

Kira gave him a level glare. "I had to make sure they weren't planning anything. I sent him to ensure your safety. Cagalli cannot be underestimated. She's not stupid, she must have a plan or some way to be prepared for anything else I might throw at her."

"I can assure you they have no intentions of tricking us or betraying the terms you set up at the last meeting." Athrun told him.

Kira nodded, knowing he was telling the truth. "Fine, that's all I wanted to know." He said and waved them off. As Shinn passed by he reached out to grab his arm. "Look, I'm just trying to protect you and everyone else. You need to stop acting like I'm the bad guy around here. I've made a lot of sacrifices for you, so you can be happy. You may not realize it, but all of this…everything I did…was for you, Shinn."

He seemed surprised by his own words and let go. Shinn looked into his eyes for a moment, unsure what to say. Finally he just nodded. He couldn't trust his voice from letting his thoughts escape. He knew he would do the same thing Kira did, and it would only lead them to trouble. They couldn't continue down this path. They had to separate and go their own ways.

He went to his room, glancing back before closing the door.

Kira stood in the living room alone, staring into nothing. After a moment he snapped back to reality and went to his own room. He needed to rest. He lay down on the bed and closed his eyes, trying to calm his mind and clear his thoughts.

* * *

"_Let's go to the beach." Shinn said._

"_I don't want to go back there." Kira answered tentatively._

"_I think we have to." Shinn replied with a knowing look in his eyes. Kira gave in and allowed himself to be dragged to the beach._

_They were sitting on their towels, Kira glaring warily at the water. Suddenly Shinn got up._

"_C'mon, let's go in."_

"_What? No, Shinn, I'm not going in there." Kira told him, refusing Shinn's hand as he held it out for him._

_Shinn gestured to him, a sly smirk playing upon his features. "But you have to catch me." He purred._

_Kira looked at him oddly. Shinn took him by the arms and tugged him up onto his feet. He started backing away, pulling Kira with him toward the ocean._

"_That's right. Catch me and I'm yours." Shinn purred again, letting go of Kira's arms. He continued walking backward into the water._

_Kira stared after him, taking small steps forward. He couldn't pass this up. He looked at Shinn as if he were meat to a starving man. Shinn crooked his finger, indicating Kira to follow him as he entered the water, and then fell back when it got deep enough for him to swim in. A low, predatory growl erupted from Kira's throat and he went after Shinn, diving into the water and swimming toward him. When he surfaced Shinn was gone. He whipped around, searching for him, feeling in the water for him. Something bumped him and he let out a frightened yell, unable to hold it back. He flailed blindly, thrashing about in fear as something latched onto him. Shinn popped out of the water, laughing._

"_It's alright, it's just me." He reassured Kira._

_Kira's heart was racing and he had a hard time controlling his breathing. Every inch of him was telling him to run. His face was red with embarrassment so he ducked his head, resting it on Shinn's bare chest. Then he started laughing shakily._

"_Haha, I caught you." _

"_Technically _I_ grabbed _you_." Shinn countered, smirking._

_Kira sighed. "Look, I get it, alright."_

"_Get what?" Shinn asked, feigning innocence._

"_This is revenge, isn't it? Payback? Dragging me out here."_

_Shinn cocked his head to the side. "For what?" he asked in a mock-innocent tone._

_Kira didn't answer, continuing to duck his head._

"_Are you…embarrassed?" Shinn asked, wrapping his arms around Kira's neck._

"_Yes." Kira whispered in a low tone._

_Shinn brushed his lips across Kira's face and down onto his neck, sliding his hand down. "Good." He murmured darkly._

"_S-Shinn, you're making a scene." Kira whispered, looking around for people._

"_There's no one here, Kira."_

_Kira's eyes widened. Fear gripped him tightly, clenching his throat and tensing his muscles. Shinn continued whispering seductively in his ear._

"_They closed the beach down…because of shark attacks." And suddenly Shinn's face transformed into a shark's and he lunged._

Kira bolted out of bed, his throat hoarse from the scream he realized was ripping out of him. Sweat coated his skin and slid down to soak his bed, his heart was pounding like a drum at the height of its fervor, and he was gasping for air.

"Kira?"

Shinn was peering through the door and Kira's body let out a spasm when he saw, jerking him back. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. Shame blocked his throat now and made him hide his face from Shinn.

"I'm fine, go away." He croaked, wincing at the traces of fear and uneasiness tainting his voice.

Instead of obeying, Shinn came in further, closing the door behind him.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, coming closer. He reached out to touch Kira but he moved his head away, still not looking up at him.

"I said leave." He tried to growl, but the sound came out strained. He realized his face was wet with tears and rubbed his cheeks harshly, quickly.

Shinn knelt down on the bed and Kira froze as his arm was clutched by Shinn's hand. He was shaking and couldn't stop. The fear was creeping up, clasping his body so tightly it hurt; he couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't think.

Shinn leaned in closer, unable to stop himself. He didn't want to believe what he was seeing. He had to know. Kira finally looked him in the eye when they were mere inches apart. His eyes held a weakness, something small and fragile, frightened and ashamed. A light blush sprung on Kira's face, surprising Shinn. Kira swallowed, trying to get the knot out, trying not to choke.

Shinn was so close, too close. He couldn't handle it.

A tear slid down his cheek and Shinn brushed it away. Then he was hugging Kira close to him. Kira buried his face in Shinn's shoulder.

"It was a nightmare, wasn't it? Tell me, what was it about?" Shinn asked softly.

Kira closed his eyes and breathed heavily. He didn't want to explain it, let alone relive it, but he owed Shinn this much.

"You wanted me to go to the beach with you." He let out, sounding slightly strangled. Shinn remained silent so he continued. "You wanted me to catch you," his voice cracked, he swallowed and kept going, "and led me into the ocean." He paused, not wanting to continue, unsure how much he should tell Shinn. Looking back over it, his dream was very revealing about his state of mind. "You scared me, because I couldn't find you and something bumped me. Then you…I said I understood you were trying to get back at me. You asked…you asked if I was embarrassed, being afraid of the ocean and…sh-sharks." He took another deep breath, trying to calm himself.

Shinn listened, feeling Kira's heart thudding against his chest, feeling the heat of Kira's blood rushing to him.

"Then you told me they closed down the beach because of the attack, and—," he cut himself off, unable to go on.

Shinn nodded, closing his eyes. "I'm so sorry Kira." He whispered. He knew Kira was leaving out something, but he could guess the missing pieces of the dream. "It was just a nightmare. It's not real." He murmured, trying to reassure him. He ran his fingers through Kira's hair, trying to soothe him. After a while it worked, and Kira was breathing regularly, his body back to normal.

They were still clinging to each other. When they realized their situation they quickly separated. Kira was still red with embarrassment and Shinn couldn't help but feel a bit smug.

"I feel like we need to talk about this." He finally said.

"There's nothing to talk about." Kira muttered as he got up and started to freshen himself up.

Shinn followed him. "No, we need to fix this now before things get worse. We both know we can't move on without figuring all this out."

Kira sighed but didn't turn to face him. Shinn reached out and touched his back, stepping closer. "Let's just…get it all out." He said softly.

Kira whipped around and had Shinn pinned against his dresser faster than the boy could blink. "How about this? If you asked me to surrender to you I'd do it in a heartbeat. I'd be down on my knees at your command. Tell me you wouldn't take advantage of that, I _dare_ you! Tell me you wouldn't forget all about Luna and that baby growing in her stomach. Tell me you wouldn't forget about Stellar and the possibilities you could have with her." He growled.

Shinn couldn't speak for a moment, let alone think. He was staring into Kira's amethyst eyes and trying not to fall into them. Finally he swallowed and let himself absorb what he was just told.

"Well…I admit it would be difficult to…deny…" he began. Kira was glaring into him. "Um, can you let go? Your grip hurts…and I think the knobs are drilling holes into my back. Ow…"

"You're not even taking this seriously." Kira growled again.

"It's hard to do that when I'm distracted."

Kira's glare made him forget the pain. "Alright, fine." He took a deep breath. "I wouldn't take advantage…" he began and then sighed. "Because _I'd_ be the one surrendering to you. And you _would_ forget about Lacus, even though everyone knows you two are in love and it would break her heart if you turned your back on her. You _would_ forget about Fllay even though you secretly miss what you two had together, no matter how bad things really were. Luna would be left on her own, Pokitknives would probably try to kill us both, and Stellar…she might just succeed in slicing my throat open. My kid would probably grow up fatherless, if he's allowed to live at all. Do you see where this is heading? It doesn't have to be that way."

"What if we can't deny our feelings, Shinn? Even if we hold off, it could still resurface years later. What if we both have kids with the women we love, only to hook up at one of their birthday parties like a couple of Brokeback Mountain cowboys?" Kira asked.

"That's why we resolve this now." Shinn answered.

"How? What do you suggest?" Kira asked, stepping away and letting Shinn have some room to breathe.

"Well, now that we both know how we feel…we can put our feelings behind us by acknowledging it will never work out. Just like you said, if we hold off now it could end up screwing us in the future, but if we don't we could _ruin_ our future." Shinn told him. "We have to end this now, Kira."

They stood in silence. "We have to get over each other." Shinn whispered.

"How?"

"By figuring out why we even like each other so much."

"I was drunk when—," Kira began.

"That's it!" Shinn cut him off. "Let's get drunk and settle this once and for all."

"What? Why?" Kira asked incredulously.

"Because…maybe we can get over each other that way. You were drunk our first time, thinking I was some chick, that's what started this whole thing."

"So how is getting drunk again going to solve our problem?"

Shinn held up a finger and dug around in Kira's closet, pulling out the wig Athrun used in his James Roscoe costume. He put it on and grinned.

Kira blinked. "I'm not following this…"

"We need to redo that night. That's the only way to reverse this."

"Shinn…are you already drunk?"

"Duh, how else would I be talking to you like this?" Shinn asked and laughed.

"…what time is it?" he asked.

"Um…somewhere between midnight and shmehh…"

"What?"

"I think the tequila is kicking in…"

Kira sighed and dragged Shinn out of his room to a scene that would never leave his mind. The rest became a blur.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he scrambled up on his bed, realizing it was all just a dream. "That's it, I'm over Shinn!" He declared and went into his bathroom to splash his face with water.

"FINALLY!"

* * *

**-Author's Note: Yay I did it! I solved the KiraxShinn riddle! Yahooo! Hopefully I won't have the urge to put them together anymore (at least in this fic…teehee). But now that they're free from each other, who will they choose? How will the Love Games turn out? (Did anyone catch the Hunger Games reference? I know it was subtle…)**

**Anyway, feel free to leave a review. Any questions, comments, ideas, etc. are welcome. I'll try to crank out another chapter soon! Peace-**


	45. Chapter 45: Distracted

**Chapter 45: Distracted**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny characters or plot materials. I just own the DVD collection. Which doesn't count when writing fanfiction (except for the fact that you just might know what you're talking about because you've actually watched the series, teehee).**

* * *

"_That's it, I'm over Shinn!" He declared and went into his bathroom to splash his face with water._

"_FINALLY!"_

Kira took a few steps back and peaked out of his door into the living room. The others pretended not to see him and carried on with their breakfast. He crocked an eyebrow and then shook his head.

* * *

"So are you actually going to pursue him or will this be too easy?" Fllay asked as she passed Lacus.

The pink-haired princess sighed. "I told you Fllay, I'm waiting on him to make his move."

"What if he _already_ made his move?" the darker-haired woman replied.

Lacus looked at her quizzically. "What do you mean? Has he contacted you?" she asked, worry lacing her voice.

"No. Why would he need us when he has Shinn?" Fllay replied disdainfully.

"You really think they'd—," Lacus began.

"If one of us doesn't step up, Luna will be raising that baby as a single parent." Fllay snapped.

"Alright, fine. I just don't want to rush or force him. I mean, if he doesn't want me…"

"He can have _me_. But we can't let him get together with Shinn. At least for Luna's sake."

Lacus nodded and took out her phone.

"So who's coming to pick up our shipment?" Cagalli asked as she walked into the living room.

"Can I come? Please? I need to do something besides go shopping for clothes." Fllay begged.

"Okay, that's fair." Cagalli replied and turned to Lacus.

Since Kira had yet to answer, she put the phone to her chest. "I'll distract Kira. Fllay and I decided one of us needed to make a move to let us know he has…options."

Cagalli nodded understandingly. She remembered her conversation with Kira last night, and her question about his relationship with Shinn. She hoped the girls weren't too late to change his mind. She didn't care what he said; she knew he wasn't completely over Shinn yet.

Shiho perked up from reading her book, sidling up to Cagalli. "I'd like to volunteer my services as well."

"Actually, I don't want to have the same people from last time. Besides, your relationship with Yzak will compromise the situation if a fight breaks out. Sorry Shiho." Cagalli replied, hoping the girl would take it well.

She looked like she was about to protest, then put her hands up. "I understand your point." She replied a bit disappointedly.

"Does that mean I can go out?" Milly asked. "I haven't gotten to do much either, and I owe Yzak for that cut he gave me."

Shiho's eyes widened. "What cut? When?" she asked.

"When Lacus and I were captured by Bloodlust while Shinn and Dearka were kidnapped by the girls. Kira threw me at the boys and held Lacus to himself. To get me to talk Yzak practically stabbed me in the chest." Milly replied grumpily.

Shiho gasped and dropped her book. "That bastard!" she screeched and stormed to her room.

The girls cast each other wary glances. "Should I have told her that?" Milly asked quietly.

Cagalli shrugged. "She would've found out eventually. And you're in." she answered.

"Can Stellar participate in something? She feels left out." Stellar spoke up.

"I thought she was done speaking in third person?" Fllay whispered to Milly who shrugged.

"Um, sure Stellar. You can ask Andy to watch over the exchange." Cagalli said, hoping the girl wouldn't mess up. They all adored Stellar, but sometimes she just wasn't right in the head.

She clapped and squealed, running to her room.

"Stellar? The door outside is…that way…"

* * *

Kira's phone was vibrating in his pocket for the second time, so he sighed and decided to check the caller id before hanging up. He was trying to get some work done for once before they went out to meet the girls for their shipment. He couldn't afford any distractions. However, when he saw that it was Lacus, he answered before his mind could fully process what he'd say.

"Hey." He said quickly.

"_Hi, glad you answered."_ Lacus replied, sounding relieved to hear his voice.

"What's up?" he asked, leaning back in his chair.

"_I was wondering if you wanted to get together."_ Lacus said.

"Well, I have that thing…I mean, I have to get the shipment…"

"_I really think we need to spend some time together. If what you said to me at the concert is still true, we need to make this work while we have the chance. Didn't you stage this whole 'Love Games' thing so we could be together?"_ she asked.

He swallowed, the tightness in his throat not allowing him to answer. He remembered the other day, the conversation with Shinn _before_ the freaky dreams. It wasn't for Lacus.

But that was then. It didn't mean he couldn't use this opportunity to do the right thing.

"Yes, I admit it. It was all a shameless attempt to get you back." He said with a smile.

Shinn passed by his office and waved, and as he waved back he realized that he had no feelings for him other than friendship. His grin widened.

She giggled and he thought it was the cutest thing he ever heard. Yes. He was doing this for her now.

"_Well it's working. Now why don't you take a break and forget about all the gang stuff. Let's just be Lacus Clyne and Kira Yamato, instead of Pokitknives and Bloodlust."_ She told him.

"I'd love to take a break and just be myself. Where and when?" he asked.

* * *

"Well hi there Stellar! What are you doing back?" Andy asked as he saw the blonde walk into the shop.

"Stellar wants you to come watch when Pokitknives exchange shipments with Bloodlust." She said cheerfully.

"Oh, so you're going to return the rest of their shipment?" he asked.

"At the same time we pick up ours. We need The Reapers to be present during the exchange to make sure things are fair and go well." She answered.

"Well I'm not exactly fair…"

* * *

"Yeah, I don't know about that guys." Mwu said.

Athrun bunched his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"If the girls take advantage we'll need back-up." Rey added.

"I just don't know if I'm the right choice." Mwu confessed.

"Then who?" Athrun asked.

* * *

"Well, Murrue was there for the first shipment. Maybe she should do the honors once again. She's not taking sides, and she knows what could happen if things get out of hand. Plus you girls have the right to see her as a Reaper to reassure yourselves of her legitimacy." Andy told Stellar.

"Okay! As long as someone shows up." Stellar replied, putting the gun that was beginning to rise out of her pocket back inside. Andy didn't notice how close he got to meeting his maker and simply beamed as she traipsed away.

As she skipped back to her car she sent Cagalli a text saying Murrue was going to watch over the exchange. She was proud of herself for finally becoming an integral part of the team (and for doing something right). She finally felt good about herself, and forgot about her lost cause for a relationship with Shinn. And who knew? She might be able to find someone else…

* * *

"Alright, instead of leading the group I'm going out with Lacus, but I've decided who's all going. I don't want to hear any crap about my choices, so just accept my decision and get over it." Kira declared.

"Nicol, you're lead." He said. The green-haired man seemed surprised and disbelieving. "Yzak, shut up." Kira added before he could rebel. "Shinn, Dearka, you're his back-up. No complaining." He continued quickly.

Athrun let his head sink a bit. _'I knew it. He's disappointed in me because I screwed up last time.'_ He thought.

He jerked his head up when he felt someone bump him. "I know what you're thinking, and it's not because you messed up. I just wanted to bring new meat into the fray. Besides, I need you here to lead the base team. Rey and Yzak will be working on some tactics and I want you to make sure they get something done. And if you punch Yzak a few times you won't need to report it." Kira told him and winked.

"You're acting awfully…chipper." Athrun muttered.

"I finally know what I'm doing." Kira said as he spread his arms and exited the base.

"Okay, who's up for ignoring what he just said?" Yzak asked and raised his hand.

"Nooooo. You and Rey are developing new strategies with me here at the base." Athrun told him sternly.

"Why do I have to—," he exclaimed but was cut off by his phone ringing. "Oh hey ho." He said with a smile and started walking away.

"I think this is actually a good plan. I get to _do_ something for once." Shinn said.

"Me too!" Dearka exclaimed and they high-fived.

"WHAT? That was a long time ago!" Yzak shouted from the hallway. The others shared a glance and hesitated only a moment before rushing to listen in to the conversation. "Well because she deserved it, that's why!" he yelled again.

"Shiho must have been told about some of Yzak's past." Dearka whispered.

"I wonder which part…" Shinn mumbled.

"Does it matter? I'm surprised she didn't know until now." Athrun said.

"She's _alive_ isn't she? I don't know why this even surprises you!" Yzak continued in a loud voice. By now he was pacing the hallway, unaware of his audience on the other side of the wall.

"Hmm…are they talking about Luna? She was there, wasn't she? Why would she bring it up now?" Dearka asked.

The others shrugged.

"What are you guys doing?" Rey asked as he came up to them. He was shushed and made to hunker down like the rest of them.

* * *

"She may be alive but the fact that you actually placed a blade to her is appalling!" Shiho screamed into her cell phone. She was also pacing the hallway, the girls eavesdropping without even hiding their staring.

"I thought she _liked_ his violence." Fllay said.

"She may not have realized how far he's willing to go. I'm not going to lie, the boys have definitely shown more aggression than we have. First Yzak's incident with Milly, then Kira and Yzak tag-teaming Luna…" Meyrin said and shrugged.

"He definitely didn't go easy. I think if it weren't for Kira he would have gutted me right there on the beach." Luna confessed.

"She still has the scar, Yzak! She still has the nightmares!" Shiho screeched.

"Um, actually the wound is pretty much healed up, and I don't really have nightmares…just dreams of scenarios where I kick his ass to a bloody pulp." Milly muttered. Shiho ignored her objections.

"You're such an ass, I can't believe you'd use that as an excuse! She was under your control—you know the code for violence against prisoners!" Shiho bellowed.

* * *

"Well that's who I am, baby! I thought you understood that by now!" he roared.

"Has anyone noticed he hasn't cursed yet?" Athrun mused. Before anyone could answer, a torrent of cusswords poured out of Yzak's mouth and into the phone.

"He was doing so well, too." Dearka whined.

"You can't break up with me, because _I'm_ breaking up with _you_!" He howled and hung up. He stormed out of the hallway and the boys scattered.

* * *

Shiho let out a furious shriek and glared at her phone as she stomped into the living room. "That jerk broke up with me! Although technically I broke up with him first, but still! He broke up with me!" she squealed.

Luna patted her on the back. "We really thought you two were going to make it." She murmured.

"I knew he was a bad boy, I just didn't think he was so cold." Shiho said. Her face was red from all the yelling, but a tear slid down her face.

"We all thought things would never get as serious as they got. The boys aren't playing games. I guess we just couldn't believe in the reality of a gang war."Mey told her.

"I did." Fllay muttered, examining a chipped nail. "In case everyone forgot, I actually saw some action. So did Kira and Yzak. We knew what we were getting involved with when we joined."

"But it wasn't supposed to go this far. No one was supposed to get hurt." Luna replied.

"Are you really surprised that they did? Come on Milly, you knew Yzak wasn't going to take it easy on you. And Luna, you understood the risk of being alone with Kira. That's why we all carry knives and guns on us whenever we go out, that's why we keep the armory stacked, that's why we take jobs from the Reapers to get more cash and ammo. Deep inside we knew things could get dirty." Fllay countered.

There was a deep silence as the girls acknowledged Fllay's truth.

"What's going on?" Cagalli asked as she walked into the room.

"Shiho and Yzak broke up." Milly said. "Because of what happened to me."

Cagalli looked shocked and came over to comfort the girl. "I'm sorry. I thought—," she began.

"You thought I was just like him? You thought I accepted him for who he was: a cold-blooded monster? No, that's not the reason we fit so well. Just ask Lacus, I'm sure Kira's reputation doesn't please her, but she still loves him enough to give him another chance." Shiho said.

"I just thought if you two were together, he'd…change. He seemed to be acting differently, nicer, since he met you." Cagalli told her.

She sniffed and wiped her face. "I guess it was my fault. I didn't really know what he was like before…well, now I do." He mumbled and went into her room, shutting the door.

The girls looked saddened for their friend, standing in silence.

* * *

"Hey, uh, what was all that about?" Dearka asked, slowly approaching Yzak. He was careful, ready to bolt at the first sign of violence.

The man was oddly silent, looking angry but sorrowful at the same time. "Nothing, Dearka." He muttered.

"Um, well do you wanna talk or something?" Dearka asked, concern replacing his wariness.

"No. Just leave me alone." Yzak replied miserably. He sighed and stalked off to his room, not wanting to hear the questions, and refusing to answer any. He definitely wasn't in the mood to express his feelings.

Dearka glanced at Nicol and Athrun oddly, and they shrugged in return. "I guess just leave him be for now…" Athrun said.

"Yeah…good luck later on." Dearka told him.

"I don't think he'll shirk his duties, he just needs some time to…think or something." He replied.

* * *

Yzak sat in his room, looking at his phone and going through the conversation in his head. He couldn't believe what just happened. He couldn't believe the one chance he had at love was gone. He growled and banged the back of his head against the wall.

"How could I be so _stupid_?" he exclaimed angrily. "The one good thing I have and I throw it away. Arghh!"

* * *

Shiho was likewise situated in her room, her feet brought up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them in comfort. She couldn't get over her feelings. Ever since she met Yzak Joule she was different. She was ruled by her emotions and couldn't get a grip. She thought it was love.

But how could she love such a dark heart?

"Focus, Shiho. Focus." She whispered to herself. She realized this put the Love Games mission in trouble, but she hoped she could still salvage it. "Just get him to surrender the hard way. Do not give up. Do not give in to him."

* * *

Kira smiled wide as he saw Lacus. She was sitting on a bench at the park, the sun making her hair glow as he flew in the breeze. She looked so beautiful to him, like a goddess. He almost felt unworthy, but quickly brushed those thoughts aside. They were meant for each other. They belonged together. He would take her hand and leap off that edge, knowing he was safe in her arms.

"Lacus."

She gasped and turned, smiling brightly when she realized it was him. She ran to him, throwing her arms around him tightly. "It feels like forever since we've seen each other!" she exclaimed. When she looked up at him her eyes were so dazzling he lost himself in them.

"It's only been a few days." He said softly and brushed some hair out of her face. She simply smiled again and led him to the bench to sit next to her. They stared at the lake and she rested her head on his shoulder.

And for once in his life, Kira Yamato felt content.

* * *

"Alright girls, time to go." Cagalli said. Fllay and Milly strapped on their weapons and adjusted them, and then they all nodded to each other before heading out. "I want the rest of you to be on alert. I want you to start strategizing in case things fall through with Kira's plan. I don't want us to slack off on anything."

"Yes ma'am!" Meyrin, Luna, and Stellar replied with a small salute. Cagalli smiled at them and then left.

"Should we see if Shiho is alright?" Luna asked.

"Let her come to us when she wants. She's a smart girl; she won't wallow in self-pity for too long." Meyrin replied.

"Stellar, you did well today." Luna said tentatively. The blonde beamed at her. It seemed she wasn't upset anymore about Shinn. They could be friends again. Luna was glad; she really liked Stellar and would rather be friends than enemies. While she was a bit ditsy, she was a cunning warrior in battle. Luna respected her for that.

* * *

"I suppose we should head out now." Nicol said a bit hesitantly. He wasn't used to leading and felt awkward in this position.

Shinn and Dearka were ready, re-checking their weapons. Athrun still looked uneasy about the situation, but he wasn't mad at Nicol. He clapped him on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, you'll do fine. I don't think a repeat of last time will happen, especially with a Reaper there."

"Thanks Athrun." He said and smiled.

"Ready when you are." Dearka declared, glancing at Yzak's door. He still hadn't come out yet.

Shinn nodded his assent and Nicol led the way.

* * *

"Alright boys and girls, let's get this done with no fighting, alright?" Murrue announced when both teams arrived. They complied and Cagalli went to the large rectangular box sitting in the shipping yard.

Once opened she looked over the package, then turned to give the thumbs up to the other girls. "Go ahead and deliver the rest of their shipment." She told them.

Fllay and Milly nodded and went to Shiho's truck. They convinced the girl to let them use it since it was the only vehicle big enough to fit everything. Nicol kept an eye on Cagalli while Shinn and Dearka went over to accept the equipment.

Milly smiled, giggling as she handed a box over to Dearka, who smirked in return. "Thanks, ladies."

Shinn and Fllay stared each other down evenly as the package was given over. Fllay didn't let go, but instead moved closer. "I just want you to know that you have no right to hog Kira from me…or Lacus." She murmured so no one else could hear.

He looked shocked. "I…I'm not. I mean…we…it's not like that anymore." He stumbled over his words.

"Hmph. It better not be. You have a good thing going with Luna, just don't mess it up, okay?" she replied, somewhat with a caring tone.

He nodded, speechless, and put the package in Nicol's car. Since they didn't dare bother Yzak, they just brought two cars.

Murrue watched them all with a careful eye, noting their movements and reactions to each other. So far things seemed okay. They weren't exactly hugging and kissing, although she guessed Miriallia and Dearka wanted to, but they didn't seem itching for a fight, either. She wondered what Fllay and Shinn were discussing, but didn't think they would start trouble with each other.

Cagalli was handing the equipment from the shipment off to Milly, knowing Nicol's eyes were on her. She wondered why he was sent to lead this mission instead of Athrun. Was something wrong? Was Kira mad at him for something? Fear crept into her system, but she quickly dismissed it. Like her, he may have just wanted new people. She thought he would come personally, but it appeared that he had accepted Lacus's invitation. She smiled, glad they were together. She glanced over at Shinn, still wondering about her question last night.

She really wanted to talk with them, but now wasn't the time. She flicked her eyes over to Dearka and Milly, who were flirting like school children. She cleared her throat and shot Milly a warning look, who dipped her head and continued loading the boxes.

She noticed Nicol also giving Dearka a sharp look, although it seemed oddly out of place on his face. She could never think of Nicol as a mean or dangerous person. He was an exceptional fighter, but not mean spirited. She liked that about him. He was a good soul.

"Dearka, behave, alright? You can see her later." Nicol whispered through his teeth when Dearka passed by.

"Oh relax, everything's fine." Dearka replied.

Nicol sighed but didn't push any further.

Shinn was glad Stellar wasn't here, but Fllay was just as bad. Where did that comment come from? He shook his head and tried not to think about what she said too deeply. Nicol noticed how distracted he was and gave him a concerned look. He waved it off and glanced at Cagalli. He realized Kira was making him a spy again. He may have given Nicol a chance to prove his loyalty, but he sent Shinn to make sure he didn't turn traitor. It was just bad luck that Cagalli decided to bring Miriallia along instead of one of the other girls, but then again Dearka would hit on anything that walked.

Fllay kept watching Shinn, not convinced that there was suddenly nothing going on between him and Kira. She knew Kira didn't go to Lacus when he left her stranded in that parking lot. She also knew that Shinn's wounds weren't as healed as everyone thought. She could spot the small limp. And she knew why. She could smell Kira's scent on him, faint, but there. They had hooked up recently. She narrowed her eyes.

"Fllay, what's wrong?" Cagalli asked quietly.

"It's Shinn. I think…I think he and Kira were together recently. I can just tell." She replied.

Cagalli's eyes widened. "I asked him yesterday, at our meeting, what their relationship status was. He said not to worry, that he wasn't after Shinn, but I didn't quite believe him."

"Let's hope Lacus can lure him back to her. I don't mind getting the brush off form him if he's going after her, but for _Shinn_? I was never worried about my self-esteem until now." Fllay grumbled.

"I understand. Lacus and Kira are on a date right now, correct?" Cagalli replied.

"Yeah, I told her she needs to make a move since he wasn't going to anytime soon. She didn't seem too fond of chasing him, but that boy likes it. Trust me. He enjoys being prey."

"That's…disturbing to think about."

"Sorry Cags. I don't think Shinn is after him, though. Even with Stellar's little stunt, I think he understands his responsibility to Luna and the baby."

"That's good. But I don't want him to be with her just because they're having a baby."

"I know. I think he really does love her, he was just…distracted." Fllay told her.

Cagalli nodded.

Nicol began feeling uneasy as he saw Fllay and Cagalli chatting. He couldn't tell what they were saying, but they kept looking at Shinn. He tried to keep the thoughts and memories of the forbidden relationship between the boy and Kira out of his mind, but like a flood they poured out.

Everyone knew what was going on between them, and Nicol was relieved it had finally ended. Last night was one of the strangest nights of his life, another skeleton in the Bloodlust closet, but Kira finally announced he was over Shinn. There was a collective sigh of relief and Shinn had yelled out "FINALLY!"

Apparently the drama was over between them. He wondered what took place last night when they were alone together…did they get in a fight? Shinn said he had a plan to get him off Kira's mind, but didn't disclose any details. Nicol was mildly interested in knowing what happened, plain curiosity causing him to ponder the best way to bring it up with Shinn later.

Shinn could tell people were talking about him, and it didn't take much to guess what they were saying. Nicol was looking at him strangely, but Dearka was thankfully oblivious. He caught Cagalli and Fllay staring at him and ignored them. They'd find out eventually that he and Kira were done. He couldn't wait to tell Luna.

Besides, if Kira was going to spend time with Lacus and ditch the gang, he could take Luna out for a nice date as well and get away from all of this, at least for a short time.

"Is that everything?" Nicol asked.

"Looks like it." Cagalli replied. The boys had the rest of their shipment, and the girls had all of theirs. "Thanks for being here, Detec—I mean Miss Murrue."

Murrue smiled. "I wanted to make sure you knew I was with The Reapers now. Don't worry, no tricks up my sleeve. You think they wouldn't know?" she replied.

"Glad to have you on the other side of the Law, so we don't have to worry." Cagalli told her and smiled back.

The two teams came together, and Cagalli reached out a hand to Nicol. He smiled, shaking her hand. "I wish we could discuss some things." She said.

"Well, I don't think we have anything else on the agenda. Dearka, could you and Shinn take the load back to base?" Nicol asked.

"Sure…" Dearka replied, a bit disappointed.

"Just to make sure it's there for Kira." Nicol added quickly. Something in his voice told Dearka that he was free after that, so he cheered up. Shinn glanced from Nicol to Cagalli but said nothing.

The two headed for the car and Cagalli glanced at Fllay and Milly. "Girls, why don't you head back to the base as well? Once the armory is stocked, you all have a free day—just as long as there's someone at the base at all times." She announced.

They nodded and hurried to the truck. "I wanna drive!"

"No, _I'm_ driving!"

Cagalli rolled her eyes as the girls fought over the keys. "Your car?" she asked Nicol. He nodded and they got inside.

"Where to?" he asked.

"Anywhere." She shrugged. He nodded and began driving.

* * *

"That's weird." Dearka remarked as he drove.

"Yeah." Shinn said. They shared a look.

"So are you going to see Luna?" Dearka asked a bit hopefully.

"Of course. Are you going to see Milly?" Shinn answered and missed Dearka's triumphant expression.

"Yep."

* * *

"I can't wait to get back to base, step on it Fllay!" Milly crowed.

"Oh hold your horses." Fllay grumbled.

"Oh, sorry Fllay, I forgot…"

"Forgot what? There's plenty of options available to me. I was actually thinking of calling Sai."

"Sai? I thought you hated him."

"Well, I just didn't think he was the one for me, but I'm done with all of this craziness. Lacus can have Kira and his issues. I want someone I can settle down with and not worry about. Taking care of Kira is so _tiring_."

"Well, I'm glad then. Sai's a nice guy."

"Yeah, and a whole lot different than Kira."

Miriallia glanced at her friend form the corner of her eye. They had all gone through a lot together, and she hoped Fllay was really okay. She and Sai were arranged, and while Sai was ecstatic, Fllay seemed to want more. When she found Kira, it was like a new side of her awakened. A bad and slightly unstable side. Everyone knew their relationship was spiraling downward, so when Lacus arrived it felt like things were finally fitting into place. But Fllay never got over Kira, and Sai was left behind in the dust. She felt bad for him, because he couldn't compete with Kira. She hoped Fllay wasn't turning to him just for someone else to cling to. Neither of them deserved it.

Deep down, though, she thought Fllay had feelings for Sai. Kira may have been a rebellious fling, a trip to the dark side, and Fllay may be ready to come back home. In that case, she was happy for them, because she knew Sai still hadn't moved on.

"I know what you're thinking, Miriallia Hawe, and no I'm not going to use Sai." Fllay said.

"Okay Fllay." Milly giggled.

* * *

"So what did you want to discuss?" Nicol asked as he drove.

"I'm curious as to why Kira sent you out instead of Athrun. Honestly, I'm worried about him." Cagalli confessed.

"Oh, he's fine. Kira just wanted to send out new people this time. He wanted Athrun to stay at the base and watch over Yzak and Rey, oops!" he exclaimed and made a face.

"It's alright, we're off the mission. I'm genuinely concerned." Cagalli laughed.

"Well, anyway, everything is fine between them. At least I think. Kira's a bit miffed that…uh…well about what happened on the island. But I'm not worried."

"Good. Um, another thing. I hate to ask, but…" she began but trailed off.

"Yes? What is it?"

"Well, about Shinn and Kira. I find it hard for his plan to work if…well…if they're still together."

"Oh." He said and they were quiet for a moment. "Well, I know you'll find out sooner or later, but they're…well, they're done."

"Really?" Cagalli asked incredulously.

"Yeah, happened last night. Er, this morning, kind of. All I know is that Kira announced he was over Shinn, and the kid seemed relieved. I don't really know the full details though. Maybe he'll tell Luna, or Kira will spill to Lacus. Honestly, I have no clue, and you'd be the one filling me in if the girls decide to share the news." Nicol told her.

"Ah, I gotcha. Well, that's good I suppose. I just hope they didn't get in a fight. Fllay said…well, she thought they were together recently." Cagalli responded.

"I…no comment."

She stifled a laugh at the blush on his cheeks. "Would you be offended if I said you were adorable?" she asked.

"Um, no." he replied, blushing deeper. This time she laughed out loud.

* * *

Lacus sighed contentedly, her head on Kira's shoulder, his arm wrapped around her. They were just staring at the lake, watching the sun dance across the surface, glinting and gleaming.

"There's something I need to tell you." Kira said, his voice odd.

She glanced up at him, but he was still looking at the water.

"I know that you're concerned about me and Shinn. Everyone is, Cagalli made that clear yesterday. But it's over. He has Luna and the baby to take care of, and I have you." He told her, finally turning to her.

"Really?" she breathed. She didn't want to hope too much, but he seemed sincere.

He smiled. She hadn't seen him smile in so long. "Really. We just…decided to end it. We got over it. We realized that other people were more important to us. I'm sorry it ever happened, but…it started with a mistake. You remember what I told you?"

"Yes, the…you mistook him for a girl…"

"Right. Well…I dunno, I had this weird dream. I can't tell if any of it was actually real, but I found out how to get over him. It was like switching back time. Instead of sleeping with him, I realized it was him. That's what did it. Weird, right? But for my sanity I'm convinced it was all a dream." He told her.

"Oh." She said, processing everything. He was glad he didn't tell her about the first dream he had, with the sharks. She probably would have fainted if she knew everything that went on in his head, if she knew the true depths of his feelings for Shinn…

No. Not anymore. Never again. They were just friends now. He was determined to keep them that way.

"Well, I'm glad. I have to admit I dragged you out here to get away from him, to distract you from him. I don't have to worry anymore." She said.

He smiled, caressing her face. "No, you don't."

* * *

"Is it just me, or are we the only couple without drama?" Milly asked Dearka. They were holding hands and walking down the street, glancing at the shop windows.

"What do you mean?" Dearka asked.

"Well, the whole love triangle, or should I say square, with Kira and Lacus and Shinn and—,"

"Oh, that. Yeah, they're screwed."

"Plus Yzak and Shiho just broke up, and…well, I thought their relationship was strange anyway."

"Yeah, I couldn't believe Yzak finally found himself a girl."

"And Cagalli is all torn up about Athrun."

"She is?"

"Yeah, how would you feel if you were in love with your brother's best friend?"

"Awkward, 'cause I'm not gay…"

She sighed and lightly poked him. He smiled at her and hugged her close. "Anyway, Shinn and Luna, poor things, dealing with the baby and all the craziness with Kira and Stellar…"

"That's definitely drama."

"But us? Our troubles look like sunshine compared to that."

"Well, you did demand that I surrender to you."

"That's because I didn't feel like getting involved in all the _drama_, see? We got to skip all of that."

"Yeah, now we can watch everyone else." Dearka laughed. Milly looked a bit concerned and didn't share in his joke. "Hey, it'll be fine. Everything will work out."

"How do you know?"

"Love guru, remember?"

This time she laughed, the seriousness leaving her face. "Right, 'love guru'." She said, making quotation marks with her fingers.

* * *

Luna hugged Shinn tightly to her, relieved that Stellar was working with Shiho. She still feared that the girl would keep coming after Shinn.

"Hey, we need to talk…again." Shinn said, although appeared happy.

"Alright, let's go out, I'm tired of being stuck here at the base." She told him.

"Okay, but let's take your car." He said as they walked outside. His motorcycle was the only vehicle he owned, and he refused to let her ride on it since she was pregnant now. He figured he should sell it and get a real car once the baby was born.

"That's fine. I'm heading out girls!" she called, grabbing her keys.

"So what's the big news?" she asked once they were in the car.

"I'm completely yours." He said with a grin. It took her a moment to understand what he was implying and she smiled.

"So you're not going to run off with Stellar?" she asked, breathless.

"Uh, no, and I'm also not going to run off with Kira." He said.

"Ohhhhh. Well, thank God." she said and laid her hand on his arm. "I mean, I never really let myself think that would happen, I was more concerned about Stellar. Now I don't have to worry about Kira, either. I know Lacus is trying to get Kira focused back on her. Fllay's been having a fit lately over you two."

"Ohhh." He replied this time. "So _that's_ why she made that comment…"

"What comment?" Luna asked.

"At the shipyard, she said something like 'Don't hog Kira' and 'Don't mess things up with Luna'. It was weird." He told her.

"Really? She said that? Wow."

"Yeah, kinda confused me."

"Well, I think she's come to terms with the fact that Kira will choose Lacus over her. The thought of losing him to her…would destroy her."

"I didn't…know…"

"It would destroy me, too." She said quietly.

He looked at her, feeling guilty. "I know, that's why we had to end it. I finally told him to get over me. The details don't matter, but we both understand we weren't meant for each other, not by a long shot." He said. "Let's just hope this doesn't come back to bite us both in the ass." He muttered, staring out of the window.

"Hmm?" Luna asked, lowering her eyebrows.

"Oh, nothing."

"I'm really happy you did that, Shinn. Otherwise I think us girls would have done it for you." She told him in an eerily cheery voice.

For a moment he feared that she had lost her mind again, but as she laughed at the expression on his face, he knew she was fine. He chuckled a bit at his own expense, glad she was finally back to normal and with him.

For once the world seemed right.

* * *

"Thanks for dropping me off." Cagalli told Nicol as they walked into the base.

"No problem, thanks for the chat. I'm glad everything worked out today." He replied.

"Me too."

"Hi Nicol!" Stellar greeted him as she skipped by.

"H-Hi…" he said, waving awkwardly. She giggled at him and he blushed.

Cagalli glanced between the two and caught a taste of Kira's mad genius.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Muwahaha, the Queen of Twists is back in action! Since I was on a roll, here's the next chappy! I have plans for the upcoming chapter, so stay tuned. I'll try to work on other stuff as well. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and encouraged me to keep updating! Please let me know what you think, questions, comments, etc. are welcome. See you next time! Peace-**


	46. Chapter 46: Can't Get You Out of My Head

**Chapter 46: Can't Get You Out of My Head**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny. Otherwise all of the relationships would be cracktastic. Just sayin'.**

_Sorry for the long wait! Also, this chapter gets a bit vulgar. Well, more vulgar than previously…_

* * *

"_Hi Nicol!" Stellar greeted him as she skipped by._

"_H-Hi…" he said, waving awkwardly. She giggled at him and he blushed._

_Cagalli glanced between the two and caught a taste of Kira's mad genius._

"You know Nicol, you can hang out with us for a while if you want." She told him, flicking her eyes in Stellar's direction.

Nicol's blush deepened. "Um, I think I should get back to the base. Kira will want to know how things went." He said, trying to avoid both of the blonde-haired girls' eyes.

She smiled. "Alright. Thanks again for the chat and the ride."

He nodded, still a bit shy, and got back in his car to drive off. Cagalli watched him go and then turned to Stellar.

"I have a new mission for you…"

* * *

"You wanna head back to the base?" Kira asked after a silent moment between them. Lacus turned to him quickly, hesitation in her eyes, but nodded nonetheless.

He took her hand and led her from the bench to his car, smiling, although she couldn't help but be wary. This could be some plot or trap. Then again, he could genuinely want to spend more time with her. Besides, it was getting dark now.

"Wait, will Shinn be there?" she asked, regretting it the second the words left her mouth.

He paused, a look flashing in her eyes she couldn't quite decipher. "Probably not." He finally said.

She smiled after considering his words and allowed herself to be helped into the car. He was being such a gentleman, opening the door for her and closing it when she was inside. She watched him walk around the front of the car to enter on the driver's side with a smile.

"What?" he asked, also smiling, but with a questioning look.

"Nothing. You just…I'm glad you're back." She replied.

He put the car in gear. "So am I."

* * *

Fllay finally got the courage to press the send button on her phone, and then put it to her ear to wait for an answer. She bit her lip, her leg twitching. She crossed and uncrossed her legs but still felt restless until finally a voice on the other end said _"Hello?"_

"Hey." She said. _'Hey? Really Fllay, is that all you're going to say?'_ she thought to herself. She thought about adding something more, putting a seductive little tone in her voice, but decided against it. She wasn't trying to manipulate anyone this time.

"_Fllay? Is that really you?"_ Sai asked incredulously.

"Yeah, sorry it's been so long since we talked. I just…I wanted to see how you were doing." She replied. She felt awkward. She never felt awkward before, it was always everyone else who was behind the ball, while she was always ahead of the game. Maybe it was better this way, maybe this time it would work.

"_Oh, well…I'm okay. Are…are you still with Kira?"_ he asked tentatively.

"No, he and I broke up a while back. I'm glad you're okay, though." She answered. _'Maybe this was a bad idea after all…'_

"_Wow, I thought you two would be together for…well, I'm glad…I mean, it's good to hear from you."_ He sighed, stumbling over his words. She relaxed when she realized he was just as nervous about this as she was.

"It's good to hear from you too." She murmured, smiling slightly to herself.

"_So uh, is the gang war still going on? I heard something on the news the other day about some gang-related activity going down at the beach. I was really concerned…"_ he said, trailing off.

"It's still going on, technically. We're working towards some kind of peace at the moment. The beach thing was a disaster, let me tell you…" she began, filling him in on all the latest events in the feud between Bloodlust and Pokitknives.

* * *

Nicol got back just before Kira pulled into the drive.

"Oh, Kira, the switch was successful—," he began until he noticed Lacus in the passenger's seat.

Kira walked around to let her out before responding. "Why are you getting back so late?" he asked, although without the usual malice lacing his tone.

"Um, Cagalli and I had a talk after the exchange. I sent Dearka and Shinn back first to drop off the weapons." Nicol replied quickly. Lacus smiled, waving at him, and he smiled back.

"You said everything went well?" Kira said, walking inside the base with his arm wrapped around Lacus's shoulder.

Nicol followed. "Yes, Murrue was there to oversee everything and no fighting broke out."

"Good." Kira said. Nicol stood waiting expectantly, unsure of what to do next. "You did well, I'm proud. Why don't you go out, have some fun?" he added.

"Oh, um…okay." Nicol replied, although remained in the living room area of the base.

"Yo, where's everyone at?" Kira called.

"In here!" Athrun called back from the tech room.

Kira let his hand slip from Lacus's side and motioned for her to wait in the living room with Nicol, who was still unsure of what to do with himself.

"Nicol said the swap went well." Kira commented as he leaned into the room from the doorframe.

Yzak and Rey were staring at computer screens while Athrun leaned down between them, glancing at both monitors.

"Yeah, that's what Dearka and Shinn said when they got back." Athrun said, barely looking up.

"And they are..?" Kira prompted.

"Both left. Dearka went out to see Milly, and Shinn went to see Luna. We figured we shouldn't interfere." Athrun answered again.

"So what have you guys found?" Kira asked, coming in closer.

Athrun and Rey glanced to Yzak, who was ignoring them at the moment.

"Looks like they're keeping up their end of the bargain; no spyware was detected, and not a trace of them near the base." Rey replied.

"We've also been tracking law enforcement logs, and so far everything is coming up clear. It looks like The Reapers cleaned things up quite nicely." Athrun added.

"Either that or Murrue had something to do with it. Somehow I can imagine her with a flash drive and a massive file erase of the database." Kira smirked.

"In any case, we're in the clear. The girls haven't been up to much either." Athrun told him.

"Good." Kira nodded and turned to Yzak. "So, did you get Shiho yet? As far as I know, we're still at a stalemate and could use an advantage."

"We broke up." Yzak replied blankly.

"You what?"

Yzak finally looked up at his leader with a hard look in his eyes, challenging him. "We got in a fight, a real one this time. Turns out we're not as alike as I thought." He growled sullenly.

"So that's it?" Kira asked, irritated yet trying to keep his temper in check. He could tell Yzak was upset and wasn't in the mood to poke the fire.

"Yeah, sorry." Yzak snorted, going back to the monitor. "But if the whole 'Love Games' thing goes down in flames, I came up with a back-up plan." He added.

Kira leaned in to view the files Yzak brought up. "Nicol won't like it." He mumbled.

"Too bad. He doesn't like anything." Yzak grumbled.

"He _did_ survive a war with The Reapers." Athrun pointed out.

"Yeah, because he surrendered. I don't think we'll get that lucky." Yzak spat.

"Honestly, his plan could work if worst comes to worst." Rey spoke up. "If anything, it could move things along and finally give us an advantage."

Athrun sighed, shrugging. "I'll admit to that. Still, it seems…well, we'll have to wait and see."

Kira nodded. "You boys feel free to do what you want."

Rey and Athrun followed him out of the room while Yzak remained at the computers, glaring at the screen.

"You brought Lacus?" Athrun asked when he saw the pink-haired girl sitting in a chair beside Nicol.

"Yeah." Kira said. They exchanged a look and Athrun nodded subtly.

"Right, well, I'll be off." He said, grabbing his coat and keys before heading out of the door. "Hi Lacus…bye Lacus."

"Bye Athrun!" she called after him with a giggle. "I hope he and Cagalli can get some time together."

There was an awkward silence as the four hung about in the living room.

"Rey, Nicol, why don't you see what the girls are up to? No rough-housing, though. I suggest searching out neutral ground." Kira suggested.

They all knew what he was talking about, so the two shrugged and left, heading to Rockstar Bar. Kira looked in the direction of the tech room, but before he could think of a way to order Yzak out the silver-haired man stormed after Nicol and Rey.

"Hey, wait for me." He said with a scowl. They cast a knowing look between them but paused so he could catch up.

"Now that they're all gone," Kira began with a sly look, "we can have some alone time." He dropped down into the chair next to Lacus and gave her a kiss.

"Didn't we have some alone time earlier?" she asked, smiling.

"Yeah, but it was technically in a public place. Here, though…it's all private." He told her, bushing her arm with his fingers.

She blushed but stared as deeply into his eyes as he was staring into hers, cupping his cheek and leaning in for another kiss. She squeaked when he picked her up with a chuckle and carried her to his room. She clung to his neck until he laid her on the bed, crawling in beside her.

He gave her another passionate kiss, running his fingers through her hair and down her neck, and she held him close.

"Before we get too far into this," he said after a rather long kiss.

"Yes?" she asked, slightly panting.

"I'd hate to put you in an awkward position, so let's just get it over with." He continued.

"Okay, so you'll surrender?" she asked, slightly joking.

He laughed a bit more raucously than she would have hoped. "Of course not my dear. Go on so we can put this behind us." He said.

She looked at him with a shocked expression. "Kira…I'm not going to surrender to you."

"What?"

She sat up, frowning. "That's not fair to me. Is that what this is all about? You were trying to butter me up so I'd surrender to you? All for your little _game_?" she asked, choking up on her words.

He sat up as well. "No, it's not like that—," he tried to explain, reaching out to brush a tear from her eye.

She swatted his hand away and got up from the bed. "I suppose you wanted us to be alone so you could force me without anyone there to help me." She accused.

"What?! No, Lacus, that's not it. Look, I'm sorry, alright? It came out wrong."

"You still think I'll surrender to you just because you _apologized_? No, Kira Yamato, you've gone too far this time." She said and began to walk out.

He grabbed her arm. "Wait! You can't leave, just hold on Lacus."

"Let go of me! Help!" she yelled, trying to yank her arm free.

"Shhh, calm down! I'm not going to hurt you!"

"Fiend!" she shrieked.

"Look, if I surrender will that make you happy? I don't want you to be upset with me. I'll do anything you want, Lacus, just please don't leave. This game means nothing to me, it's silly, I promise! I just want to be with you." He begged.

She stopped crying and rubbed her eyes with the back of her sleeve, sniffling. "You'll…you'll surrender? I thought you wanted to win."

"It's not winning if it means I lose you in the process." He said, kneeling. "Lacus, I'm hopelessly in love with you. Please, let me prove myself. I surrender to you."

She gasped, but a smile slowly crept up her face. "Alright, I'll accept it." She said.

He smiled and stood, hugging her. "I'm sorry for ever expecting you to surrender. I was a fool to even consider…" he began, and then noticed the expression on her face change.

She looked triumphant yet sheepish, as if she were guilty of something but proud of it nonetheless. It clicked in his head and he stood stunned.

"She tricked me. You tricked me." He whispered.

She bit her lip, concern replacing her almost smug features. "Please don't be mad at me, it's just…it was the only way." She said.

"No, I'm not mad, it's just…I'm actually impressed. Give me some time to process this…" he said.

He sat down on the bed, holding onto her fingertips lightly, with a bewildered expression.

"Outsmarted…wow…" he murmured to himself.

* * *

Athrun drove as fast as he dared. He had a desperate desire to see Cagalli and he didn't care if it made him seem irrational. He hoped she would want to see him too, and wasn't busy tending to her flock. Since Shinn and Dearka were with their girls, and Lacus and Kira were together, he didn't think it would be an issue if the two of them were to also slip away somewhere…

He finally arrived at the Pokitknives base and wondered whether he should have called first, but decided spontaneity was healthy in a budding relationship—or so he hoped.

Meyrin answered the door, looking confused but pleased to see him. "Hello Athrun, it's been a while." She said, stepping aside to let him in.

Most of the girls were gathered in the living room area, and they all looked up to him when they realized he was there.

"Oh hey Athrun." Cagalli said, getting up from beside Stellar and walking over to him. "What's up?"

"Oh, um, I just wanted to…say hi." He said. He was beginning to realize he should've devised some sort of plan first.

Mey and Stellar exchanged a glance and giggled.

"You…could do that over the phone." Cagalli replied, also a bit awkwardly. She was giddy about seeing Athrun, but didn't want the girls to gossip.

"Yeah, but I wanted to see you." He replied. They stood near the door for a moment, then Cagalli turned to the girls.

"Mey, Stellar, you have the night off. Go…do stuff." She told them.

"Whatever you say, boss." Mey replied with a wink and dragged Stellar out of the door.

"Bye Athrun! Have fun with Cagalli!" Stellar called.

Cagalli's face grew red but she cleared her throat. "Um, Luna and Milly are off with Dearka and Shinn, of course, and Fllay just left to go see Sai." She explained.

"Sai? She's seeing him again?" Athrun asked, surprised but happy for them.

"Yeah, she wanted to give him another chance. I think she wants to settle down this time and get away from the…what she calls 'crazy' aura which seems to surround Kira." Cagalli told him.

"Ah, understandable." He said. There was another odd silence until she directed him to a chair.

"Um, hold on one minute." She said and ran outside. "Wait!" she called to Mey and Stellar before they drove off. She came back inside and went towards Shiho's room, knocking twice and waiting for the girl to reply.

"I'm fine." Shiho said through the door.

"I was just letting you know Athrun's here, so we're going to be in my room. The girls are going out, if you want to join them. It's just Mey and Stellar, and I'm sure they'd enjoy your company. You can stay here if you like, though, we don't mind." Cagalli told the other woman.

There was a pause and then the door opened. "Did they already leave?" Shiho asked, looked a bit gray.

"No, they're still outside." Cagalli said with a small smile.

"I believe a bit of fresh air will do me some good." Shiho said matter-of-factly and headed toward the door. She smiled faintly at Athrun who smiled back, then paused at the door, looking back to Cagalli. "Thank you." She said.

Cagalli nodded in understanding and the girls were gone.

"I heard about the break-up. Literally. We were all listening into the phone call. Probably wasn't any of our business, but…" Athrun said.

"Oh, we did the same thing. It was so…odd. I mean, we were kind of waiting for something like this to happen, but they seemed to be doing so well. I really hoped they would be happy together. Oh well, I guess not all of us can be happy." Cagalli replied with a shrug and sat back down next to him.

"Maybe they'll find someone else." Athrun murmured, stroking her hair.

"Yeah." She replied absently. "But enough about them…"

* * *

Rey and Nicol were sitting at the bar nursing beers, glancing over at the occasional shots of pool or watching a few dancers move together. They were silent, having already tried and failed at conversation.

"So uh…" Nicole began.

"Hey, it's the girls." Rey interrupted, pointing toward the door as Mey and Stellar walked in.

"Oh, well look at that." Nicol said and took a sip of beer. The girls noticed them and headed their way. Shiho came in a moment later, looking closer to normal. Nicol's smile vanished. "Uh oh."

Boisterous laughter directed their attention to a pool table nearby where Yzak was chugging a beer and lining up a shot.

"What's wrong?" Mey asked when they approached. At another loud noise from the group gathered around Yzak she realized the answer to her own question. "Oh." She breathed, glancing at Shiho.

The brunette noticed Yzak, but he was a bit too drunk to realize she was there. She frowned and went up to the bar next to them. "Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all. Of course _he_ would be here as well."

"Don't worry, we can go somewhere else if you want, or sit in the restaurant area." Mey said in a comforting tone.

"No, really, I'd rather not be a bother." Shiho said, waving her friend off.

Stellar sat close to Nicol and smiled at him, who smiled back with a tint of red to his cheeks. "Your hair is pretty." She said and proceeded to play with the soft green curls.

"Oh, uh, thanks." He said, watching her warily and wondering whether this was socially acceptable.

"I'm sure he's too engrossed in his game to notice you're here." Rey pointed out to Shiho.

"Yeah, don't worry, we won't let him mess with you." Mey added.

Shiho looked uncertain but took a seat next to Rey anyway, who was farthest away from Yzak. Mey stood next to Stellar to make sure she didn't try to molest Nicol.

"Oh look, it's the Bitch Sticks." Yzak sneered as he strode over. He adopted that name for the Pokitknives and liked to use it whenever it sounded convenient. He stopped close to Mey to order some hard liquor. She scowled at him.

"I think you've had enough, hot head." she said.

"And I think I don't give a fuck, fire crotch." He replied, then let out a bark of laughter. Then he noticed Shiho and turned more somber. "You come here to bitch me out again?" he growled.

Shiho turned away, intent on ignoring him. Mey got in the way of his view. "We came here to have fun. Now please go away, as you're not the kind of fun we're looking for."

He snorted, taking his liquor and returning to the game.

"I should go." Shiho said and started to get up.

"Don't worry about him, he's only an asshole when…well, he's always an asshole." Rey told her.

"Oh! Your eyes are pretty too!" Stellar exclaimed and leaned in close to peer at Nicol's wide eyes. He leaned back a bit but she kept coming forward, still with a fistful of his hair.

"Stellar, leave him alone." Mey said, swatting at her.

"What? Stellar not being mean."

"She's not really bothering me." Nicol added, ever the peacemaker.

Mey smiled and gave him a wink. "Oh I see, I'll just leave you two alone then." She said and walked away.

"Wait, no, that's not what I meant!" Nicol cried.

Stellar giggled and poked his face. "You have a squishy face. Squish! Stellar likes a squishy face."

"Uhhhh…"

"Where are you going?" Shiho asked when she saw Meyrin take off.

"To dance! Wanna come? It's fun." She replied, offering her hand.

"No thanks, I don't really dance." Shiho replied dully.

Mey looked to Rey with raised eyebrows. "Me neither." He replied.

She shrugged. "Suit yourself." She said and dove onto the dance floor.

Shiho glanced over at the pool table and noticed Yzak looking into the mass of dancers, but before she caught his eyes she turned away.

"Come on curly-hair-squishy-face, let's dance!" Stellar squealed, pulling Nicol off his seat.

"Wait, I don't, Stellar!"

Shiho raised an eyebrow, but her expression remained dull. She took a sip of her beer and noticed it was the same Rey had.

"You have good taste in alcohol." He commented, sipping his own beer.

"As do you." She replied.

Yzak looked over to see the chairs empty except for Shiho and Rey, who were talking to each other, and scowled. _'Fine, if she wants to play that game, I'll play too.'_ He thought angrily and entered the crowd of dancers.

He saw Meyrin shaking her ass with another guy and elbowed him out of the way. "Hey, I always wondered…" he said in her ear.

She whipped her head around to glare at him. "Leave me along, asshat." She snarled.

He caught her arm as she moved away and twirled her into his arms. "No, really, is it true what they say about the curtains matching the drapes?" he asked with a smirk.

"Ugh, you're disgusting." She grimaced.

"You like it." He sneered. "Besides, Athrun isn't here for you to stare after. You said you wanted fun, right? I want some fun too."

"Our definitions of fun are a bit different, I think." She replied.

"I think dancing is fun, and so do you. Let's just go from there."

Shiho laughed at Nicol's awkward attempts at dancing, with Stellar moving in way too close for his comfort level. Rey shook his head, but with a slight smile.

"Well, they may be an odd couple, but they look cute out there." Shiho confessed.

"I think they fit quite well. Both a little…different." Rey commented.

Shiho glanced over the crowd and noticed Mey…and Yzak. She frowned again as she noticed them dancing together.

"Well…I think I've had enough air for the night." She said and stood.

Rey furrowed his brows and was about to ask why the sudden change of mood when she saw the two dancing. He frowned as well.

"Maybe he's too drunk to realize who it is." He said.

"That wouldn't be much better. Besides, she's not drunk." Shiho replied heatedly.

"Jealous?" Rey asked her with a raised eyebrow.

Shiho opened her mouth to reply angrily when she thought better of it. She sat back down glumly. "I guess so. I really did like him."

"He's probably doing it on purpose then." Rey told her.

"Doing what?"

"Making you jealous."

"Oh…what a clever tactic."

"You know, you could do the same."

"Same what?"

"Make him jealous."

Shiho regarded Rey with a somewhat lucid expression, then glanced back at the dancers. She watched Nicol and Stellar laugh and stumble about, then Mey step on Yzak's foot and laugh like a maniac. The red-head looked up and noticed her staring and mouthed an apology. Shiho shook her head and gave a slight smile and wink.

"It would be fun to see his expression, should it work." She mused, looking back at Rey.

"I believe it will. I have a plan." He said with a slight smile, taking another swig of the beer.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Woo, finally updated! I know, I know, it's been so long. I've been busy, but anyway I hope you liked it! Please review and let me know what you think, with any questions, comments, ideas, etc.**

**Not sure if I mentioned this anywhere before, but I want to do something special for The Blood of Love when it ends (whenever that may be). I've recently begun dabbling with AMVs (with pics, because getting the video onto my computer is a pain in the ass done the legal way), and I wanted to make an AMV with fanart of the Gundam charries and couples with the ending songs. If you would like to submit your art for this, please PM me. I'm not a harsh critic, so if all you can draw is stick figures (like me) then that's just fine. I plan on doing something similar to a regular ending or beginning theme (with shots of characters and their names or something like that). I'll also accept flash animation and clips (that you've done, not from the anime unless you're feeling especially generous). I'm looking for pretty much anything: it can be bloopers, extra scenes (fantasy scenes, what you want to happen), favorite scenes from the fic, or just drawings of the characters and couples. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.**

**Also, not to draw away from this site, but I made a website based around the Gundam universe. Originally I just wanted to convert some of my fanfiction there, so I've begun putting up "Bittersweet Irony" but also made it available to role-play. In case you haven't noticed, that's what I'm usually doing now-a-days instead of writing fanfiction updates. Sorry! Anyway, it's called Gundam Titanium and I have a link on my profile, so go check it out! Peace-**


	47. Chapter 47: I'm Alive

**Chapter 47: I'm Alive**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed/Destiny, nor do I own any of the countless song references I use in chapter titles.**

* * *

"_It would be fun to see his expression, should it work." She mused, looking back at Rey._

"_I believe it will. I have a plan." He said with a slight smile, taking another swig of the beer._

Shiho eyed him curiously as a small smile crept across her lips. Rey finished his beer and stood. Turning to her with a steady gaze, he offered his hand and gave a slight bow.

"May I have this dance?"

She looked surprised and slightly amused, but also stood. She took his hand and gave a slight curtsey, continuing in their Victorian courtship. "You may."

He kissed the top of her hand lightly and led her to the dance floor. "I may not have the best moves for this type of music. Honestly, I prefer the waltz." He told her.

She smiled genuinely as they took up the standard couples dancing stance: his hand around her waist, hers on his shoulder. "Me too."

* * *

"I wonder how the others are doing." Cagalli murmured after coming up for air. She was entangled around Athrun on the couch and they just finished a make-out session. He was too much of a gentleman to go any further without her acquiescence.

"Probably doing the same thing we are." Athrun mused, holding her close.

"And what about Kira's Love Game?" Cagalli asked, sitting up on her elbows to stare down at him.

"What about it?"

"What's the tally so far?"

"Uhhh…" he thought about it for a moment, trying to visualize the board Kira set up just for this purpose. "I think it's still one to one."

Cagalli furrowed her brows. "Well things might change after tonight."

Athrun eyed her warily. "How so?"

She gave him a knowing look. "With all the couples running around, someone's bound to surrender."

"Oh, right." He said, slightly relieved.

Her mouth curled into a smirk as her plan was put into motion. "Why, what were you thinking of?" she asked, taking a lock of his hair and curling it around her finger.

He laughed nervously. "Nothing, I just wasn't thinking about that when you said it."

She rolled her eyes with a slight smile. "You thought I was gonna make you surrender, didn't you?"

"I really would rather us _not_ venture into this territory."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because it really kills the mood…"

They stared at each other for a moment, Cagalli unwavering, Athrun concerned.

"Just for shits and giggles…who do you think would win in our case?" she asked, unable to let it go. She fought hard and long for her position as Godmother, especially to keep it, and her tomboyish reputation would be ruined if she ended up surrendering to Athrun. Then again, she enjoyed the way he looked out for her and tried to protect her—even if it was unneeded. Chivalry, while a dying tactic, was still attractive.

He looked pained. "I _really_ don't want to get into this." He whined. He could tell she wanted to push this, and he understood her reasons, but it was not something he liked thinking about. On one hand, he believed he could make her surrender in various ways, strategically speaking. Honestly, he couldn't imagine surrendering to her because he was the protector—but then he remembered who she was, and their relationship roles. He may be the male, but that didn't automatically make him the dominant member. He wasn't really sure which one he was half the time.

"Too bad, we're in it now." Cagalli replied, amber eyes set in determination.

He sighed, running his hands through his hair. "Well…" he began, hesitating.

Cagalli cocked an eyebrow. "Go on." She was more interested in his response than she was letting on. What he thought about their roles determined how he thought about their relationship, and by proxy what he thought about her. If he believed she was just another damsel in distress who needed protecting from a savior, he obviously didn't understand her enough.

"Well what do _you_ think?" he said, turning it around on her.

She glared at his triumphant expression, then put finger to chin and thought about it. "I think you'd surrender." She said matter-of-factly after a moment. His reaction was all she needed to know.

"Heh…what?" he replied, thinking she was joking.

"You're the submissive one in this relationship," she shrugged "it's only natural that you would surrender."

He looked at her, incredulous, mouth agape. Then he began laughing. "No, no, no. I'm not the submissive one. I make the plans and the first move. You follow my lead."

"Ha! Yeah right!" she cackled, arms across her chest. "You do whatever I tell you."

He shook his head. "I don't think so."

She nodded. "I think so."

"Nope."

"Yep."

Now they had a scowling contest going, Athrun sitting up on his elbows while Cagalli straddled him with her arms folded.

"As you can see," she began lightly, admiring her nails casually, "I'm the one on top."

His scowl deepened until a smirk appeared. "That can easily be changed." He said. To demonstrate his point, he switched their positions, flipping her over so that he was straddling her with both hands to either side of her head, leering down at her. She frowned.

"You left yourself a little open there, jackass." She sneered. Before his quizzical expression made its way into a verbal response she brought a knee up leg between his legs.

"Oof!" he collapsed on top of her, moaning in pain. "Owwww…was that…really…necessary?"

"Yep." She said, shoving him off of her and onto the floor. Leaning over the couch, she flicked him in the forehead. "Now surrender."

"Kira would…kill…me."

"Not my problem."

"That's not…fair…I can't hit you back." He huffed.

"You _won't_ hit me back. You saved me the other day before we even got together. Face it, you can't make me surrender."

He sat up, still wincing, and she followed his movements in case he tried a surprise attack.

"Look, we can do this another time. I really just came to hang out and get away from all this gang stuff." He said, giving her a small pout.

"That's not going to work." She scoffed.

"I'm not trying to do anything!"

"Uh huh, suuuuure."

He sighed and fell back over. Before he could sigh out a "fine" his cell phone went off, the ringtone "Like A Boss" telling him it was Kira calling. Scrambling in his pocket, he sat and held the phone to his ear.

"I swear to Gundam if you've been spying on us this whole time—," he began in a furious whisper.

"_So Lacus just tricked me into surrendering to her."_ Kira announced.

Athrun paused, looked at his phone with a puzzled expression, and then put it back to his ear. "She what now?"

"_You wanna know how she did it?"_

"Considering you were the mastermind to come up with this ridiculous plot, yes I would." He bit out.

"_Hold your flow their cowboy…what's your problem?"_

"Cagalli just nailed me in the nads and _I blame you_." Athrun hissed. Cagalli smirked from her position on the couch.

"…_well okay then."_

"Kira. Get back on track here. Focus."

"_Oh right. So I'm all smooth, ya know, after everyone leaves. I get her in position and then try to sweet talk a submission. Welllll she wasn't having any of it. Went full freak-out mode so I panicked. She starts yelling and tries to run away like I'm some monster—it's okay sweetie, I don't blame you—and anyway I end up begging her to stay and tell her I surrender. So she agrees to stay and suddenly has this Cheshire grin. I was tricked Athrun. In my own game."_

"Yes, that does suck." Athrun replied after recovering from Kira's rapid-fire explanation. Then he smiled. "So what are you going to tell the others?"

"_That I was being a gentleman and expect them to make up for the lost point. Which is where you come in, my friend. My right-hand man. My second-in-command."_

"I don't like where this is going." Athrun's eyes darted over to Cagalli, who was watching him and twirling his hair again. He knew she could yank him by the hair at any moment if the mood so possessed her.

"_Hey, it's bad enough that I lost my own round, but we can't lose the whole game!"_

"You should have thought about that _before_ you proposed this madness!" Athrun hissed into the phone again, leaning away from Cagalli so she couldn't hear.

"_I thought I had it in the bag, so sue me! But listen, you need to get Cagalli to surrender. I don't care how. Endure another shot to the balls if you have to. Yzak already has us in a disadvantage and now we have to scramble to get more points on the board, so just do it!"_ Kira commanded.

"Kira I'm not going to play with my relationship just to win your little game! You lost, I say that's a sign to quit now before things get any worse."

Cagalli pushed herself forward on the couch, trying to overhear their conversation. She had a good idea what it was about, especially when she checked the text message that just buzzed in her pocket.

"_I am not going to quit. Man up and get her to surrender, damn it."_

"You owe me for this. Big time. In fact you owe me for a lot of things."

"_Yeah we'll talk about that after you've secured our victory."_

"I'm going to tell them what really happened once this is all over. The whole thing. Even this conversation."

Kira sighed on the other end of the line and Athrun raised his eyebrows, waiting for the concession.

"_Ok yeah sure whatever but you _HAVE_ to make Cagalli give in."_

"If she kicks me again…I swear Kira…"

"_I know, I know. I'm still a little sore myself here."_

"I hate you so much right now." Athrun growled, sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"_Love you toooooo."_ Kira drawled in a high-pitched voice before hanging up.

Athrun looked over to see Cagalli giggling, her phone in her hands. He peered over her head to see it was Lacus, and they were discussing the exact same thing. The blonde looked up at him, quirking an eyebrow.

"Soooo…" he began.

"Bring it."

* * *

"Woah Stellar, slow down! I can't go that fast! Ack!" Nicol exclaimed. He was currently being swung by the arms in the middle of the dance floor by a hyperactive Stellar, who giggled.

"Nicol needs to let loose and have fun! Pretty eyes go boooooom!"

"I don't think eyes are supposed to do that." Nicol stammered out as he was swung around.

"Your hair is so bouncy! Weeeeeeee!"

"Stellaaaaaaaaaar!"

"I kinda feel sorry for him…" Mey confessed as she watched from the rim of the crowd. Yzak still had his hands on her hips. She tried searching for Shiho again but couldn't find the girl anywhere.

"They're perfect for each other. She's a nut case and he's a wuss."

"I'm proud you didn't use another word for him." She muttered under her breath.

"You mean like 'pussy'?"

She sighed and turned to glare at him. He shrugged and took another swig out of the bottle he was holding.

"This is boring, do you think she saw?" he asked after a moment.

"Honestly…I have no idea where she is."

He turned to her sharply. "What do you mean?"

"I mean last I saw her she was sitting at the bar with Rey, and now…" she scanned the crowd and turned back to him, shrugging.

He growled, shoving the drink into her hand. "That bastard better not…"

Mey watched as he stormed off, shaking her head and then tentatively taking a sip of the alcoholic beverage. Pronouncing it not bad with a nod of her head, she kept drinking.

"Time to go in." she murmured and wound her way through the crowd. Once she got to the center she grabbed hold of Stellar's arm to stop the spinning motion and dragged her through. Nicol was dragged along, still in the grip of the other blonde.

"T-thank...y-youu." Nicol groaned, stumbling around. Mey guided him to a chair where he slumped down.

"Awww, we were having fun!" Stellar whined.

"You can't treat him like your dolls, Stellar, he might actually break. And duct tape won't fix him." Mey told her, patting her on the shoulder. Stellar pouted.

* * *

Yzak stalked through the bar, scowling at the patrons and growling obscenities under his breath. After a while he ventured out into the parking lot and spotted his target.

Make that _targets_.

Rey was talking to Shiho, leaning against the wall casually with his hands in his pockets. She was shifting from foot to foot, a bottle in her hand she occasionally sipped. They laughed, throwing their heads back.

He jogged over and landed a fist next to Rey's head. "Didn't know you were one to chat up the ladies, Rey." He snarled.

The laughter stopped, but Rey didn't look worried. "I was merely holding her attention until you could show up, big man. You were busy grinding on Mey so we decided to get some fresh air."

Yzak growled again at the sarcastic remarks. Normally the two of them got along pretty well—mostly because they didn't speak much and both had a common disdain for everything—but he had no problem beating the kid to a pulp if he kept his wise talk up.

"Well I'm here now to save the day, so beat it." Yzak snapped.

Rey put his hands up in surrender and slowly walked away, nodding to Shiho as he did so. She lifted her fingers off the bottle in a small wave as she watched him leave. Yzak took his fist out of the wall and glared after his comrade, while Shiho looked down at the ground and shuffled her feet.

"Didn't really think that would work. Such a base response." She mumbled.

"What were you doing with him anyway?"

"What were you doing with Meyrin?"

"Dancing."

"Talking."

He glared at her and she returned the look with full force. They stood in silence for a few moments, the dull noise from the club background music for their staring contest. Yzak blinked first.

"Shit." He spat, hands on his hips as he turned away. "Things ended…badly."

"Obviously." She replied, rolling her eyes.

"Look…" he began and sighed. "I am who I am. I can't do anything about that or change my past. Do I regret what I did? No. If you don't like that, then we're just not meant to be."

She continued glaring at him, not wanting to give in to the temptation to give him a second chance. "I thought you had honor. If you allow your ego to cloud judgment on the battlefield, how will you ever win?"

He threw his hands up. "We're winning now."

"Barely. In a silly game your boss thought up as a distraction." She countered.

"I didn't like his plan to begin with."

"Of course you wouldn't." she snorted.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, stepping forward. "What, you think I don't actually have feelings for you? Why the hell else would I be acting like this?"

"To win."

"Tch, I don't know if you've noticed, but 'love' isn't really my thing. If this was a physical contest or an actual battle, I would be top game. But when it comes to emotions and relationships…"

"Absolute zero?"

"Exactly."

She kicked some rocks, shifting. "Yeah, I'm the same."

"So we shouldn't be going through this shit." He replied.

"So that's it? We're over?"

He hesitated. "Only if you want it to be. I'd be willing to try again, I just…you can't freak out on me over something I did in the past, or something I might do in the future. And if things turn sour, don't blame me for doing anything it takes to get out ahead."

"I understand that. You want to win." She said. "But tell me something. If winning means sacrificing everything you know and love, are you truly the victor?"

* * *

"Are we going to do this or what?"

Athrun was on top of Cagalli again, his thighs squeezing her legs together so they couldn't move to escape or remove the last vestige of his manhood. He was also holding her wrists across her chest so she couldn't punch him. The bruise on his upper jaw was proof enough why it was necessary.

Cagalli wiggled around, still trying to wrench herself free. "All we've proven is that you're stronger and have no qualms with using force to get your way." She huffed.

"And you have a smart mouth that you have no qualms against putting to use to get _your_ own way." He replied.

"You should really figure out whether you want to be a gentleman or an asshole." She growled.

"Would the chivalrous thing be allowing you to win? Because the way I see it a gentleman would still rather protect the lady than allow her to dominate him."

"And an asshole would be a jerk about letting his girlfriend win a silly game against him." She threw back at him.

"Hey, my ass is on the line here. Kira messed up so now I have to cover up for him."

"He should've known what he was getting into. Honestly I say if he lost already the game is over."

"I wish it were that easy, but you _know_ how crazy your brother is." Athrun groaned.

"I do know. It runs in the family." She quirked an eyebrow.

They were at a stalemate. Again.

"I'll pay you back if we can just get this over with and get out of the game while we can."

She narrowed her eyes. "You're bribing me now?"

"I don't like forcing you to do stuff."

"Then _you_ surrender." She suggested.

"Don't like doing that either."

"You didn't have a problem the other day."

"That was different, I was saving you."

"How would forcing me to surrender—no matter how you see it—be saving or protecting me, exactly?" she asked.

"You're killing me, Cagalli."

"You're the one crushing my diaphragm."

"Well I won't get up until you surrender. So there." He replied smugly.

She scowled at him. "You know if any of the girls come back and see this you'll be dead before your reflexes would even register what happened, right?"

"Nah, I'd get out of dodge." He said with a wave. She used the opportunity to send the heel of her palm up, catching him in the nose. "Awww! Owwww!"

Squirming out of his grip, she kicked him backward and climbed on top. "Ha. I win."

He still had his hand over his nose, moving his jaw to readjust the alignment. "That doesn't count. You cheated."

"You relaxed your guard around me. Not my fault I took advantage."

"But it doesn't make you any better than me." He told her.

"So neither of us is a gentleman."

"Does that make both of us assholes, then?" he questioned.

"No, it makes you an asshole. So let's agree that we're both capable of protecting each other, and I'll consider your request to surrender to you."

"Alright. You're not a defenseless damsel in distress, and I'm no shining knight on a white horse. You can protect yourself, and I'm sure you can also protect me if the time ever called for it. There, happy?"

She scrunched her lips to the side, eyes still narrowed. "Are you just saying that to get my approval?"

"No, I mean it."

"Hmmmm…"

"You can be James Bond and I'll be the helpless diva you need to save." He blurted.

Her eyes widened for a moment, then she cursed and punched her leg. "Damnit, you've found my weakness. Okay Athrun Zala, I surrender to you. But don't let that get to your head."

He relaxed and laid back, breathing out a sigh of relief. "Good, now I can go kill Kira." Cagalli barked out a laugh and slid forward, wrapping her arms around his neck as she leaned down for a kiss.

* * *

**-Author's Note: Annnnd that's all for now, folks! I just set them up to knock 'em down. Anyway, sorry for the long wait again, hopefully this chapter makes up for it.**

**Also, don't forget about the AMV project for the end of this fic. Send me a PM if you want to submit your art, any clips, or have ideas. My site is still up and running as well, and we'd love to get more members to RP with and chat about Gundam stuff. It's called Gundam Titanium and is hosted by zetaboards. There's a link in my profile.**

**Okay, ad whoring done with. Peace out and have a wonderful Fourth of July!-**


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